Born in Greenville, North Carolina, Carmon was a standout at D.H. Conley High School before attending Appalachian State University on a wrestling scholarship. As a four-year starter for the Mountaineers, he achieved a winning record and was the Southern Conference heavyweight champion in 1979. 

After graduating from Appalachian State in 1985, Carmon remained actively involved in wrestling. He served as a North Carolina high school official from 1978 to 1990, was an assistant coach at Tarboro High School (1992-1993, 1997-2000) and the head coach at Tarboro from 1994 to 1997. He also served as a Freestyle official from 1993 to 2003 and as Treasurer and Board Member of NCUSA Wrestling. Carmon's dedication to promoting wrestling was extensive. He co-founded the Tar River Wrestling Club in Tarboro and was instrumental in getting the Tarboro Recreation Department to purchase a club wrestling mat. He directed numerous USA Wrestling and high school invitational tournaments and provided numerous opportunities for athletes in his community to compete and grow in wrestling.

Beyond his achievements in wrestling, Lorenzo Carmon served his community through his thirty-three-year career in local government. Earning a Master of Public Administration from East Carolina University, Carmon served as the Planning and Economic Development Director and Assistant Town Manager for the town of Tarboro. He was the Edgecombe County Manager for fourteen years. Carmon received the prestigious Governor's Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service in 1998, the Edgecombe County Martin Luther King Citizenship Award in 2006 and was inducted into the North Carolina Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2009.