Michael Manno Ready For AKA’s Hot July Show
American Kombat Alliance is set for another hot summer showdown with AKA 38 set for July 12, 2024. The night’s matchups will take place in the Sams Town Casino located in Shreveport, Louisiana. The co-main event will feature Texas’ Shane Wright coming onto to enemy turf to face dangerous welterweight striker Michael Manno. Known fondly to his fans in the area as the Port City Soldier, Manno is a walking highlight reel with knockout power around every corner. Manno has also competed under the BKFC banner with a handful of bareknuckle bouts to his credit. This matchup of strikers could very well lead to the knockout of the night.
Michael Manno vs Shane Wright
Entering the amateur ranks in 2013, Manno has been nothing less than stellar in his showings. He has also been a part of the AKA family since nearly day one, making his organizational debut at Rite of Passage 3. Though Manno has competed mostly in bareknuckle and boxing lately, he feels this will set him up nicely for a great showing in the night’s co-main event.
“My last few have been bareknuckle and Pro boxing, pro boxing in which I am still undefeated. Not only will it help me immensely, but the fact that my last couple fights have been at 5,000+ feet altitude above sea level is highly help with experience. Knowing that Wright has not experienced that type of environment is crucial,” Manno told MYMMANEWS.
Very few fighters harness the energy of the home-crowd like Manno. With Sams Town Casino in his backyard of Shreveport, Manno will no doubt be the crowd favorite on the AKA 38 card. “My home crowd is always extremely inspirational to me, seeing that I started fighting here many years ago. They know how far I’ve come. I will prove it to them, and I have only gotten better this fight,” stated Manno.
Manno has never one to let down the hometown crowd and fight fans around the world. He is ready to give the fans a show. “Fans can expect high level prowess and full focus and intensity when that cage door closes. The air will be heavy around me in the AKA cage,” said Manno.
Coby Bradford vs Daniel De La Cruz
The night’s main event will feature championship gold on the line. Middleweights Coby Bradford and Daniel De La Cruz will meet in the center of the AKA cage at AKA 38. Bradford has a wealth of experience ranging from heavyweight all the way down to his new home of middleweight. With 16 amateur fights on his record before turning pro, Bradford proved he can win fights with not only his dangerous ground game, but with his striking as well. Two of his last three amateur fights ended by way of first-round knockouts, the other a submission victory in round three.
Bradford turned the corner after becoming pro, currently undefeated with all three of his victories coming by first-round finish. This will mark the first time he has fought in the AKA cage since his amateur days at AKA 28, in which he won with a 20-second knockout. Facing another fellow finisher, this title matchup has all the makings of providing fans with a fight of the night showing.
Not to be outdone, De La Cruz has shown finishing ability since day one of his amateur career. Only one of his fights, amateur or professional, have been decided by the judges. 3-1 as a professional, all three of those wins have come by first-round finish. This also includes two submissions under one minute of action. Though De La Cruz may lack the experience of his opponent, he does not lack in skill. This matchup could not have been made any better to decide who will be the king of the middleweight division.
