20 Years Ago: Manny Pacquiao KOs Lehlo Ledwaba In US Debut

Reigning IBF super bantamweight champion Lehlohonolo Ledwaba was scheduled to face Enrique Sanchez in an eight-round fight for the strap.

Two weeks before the fight, Sanchez had to withdraw after sustaining an injury.

Organizers quickly searched for a replacement and the fight was given to a skinny 22-year-old Filipino with blonde streaks in his hair who was training at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, California.

For Manny Pacquiao, this would be the chance he needs to make in the USA.

Ledwaba won the vacated title back in May 1999 and was riding a 22-fight winning streak dating back to July 1993. He had successfully defended his title five times prior to facing Pacquiao.

The South African was also ranked among the top pound-for-pound boxers in the world, making him an easy betting favorite going into the fight.

Pacquiao, who would be fighting in the US for the very first time in his career, was immediately brought to Las Vegas on two weeks’ notice.

The WBC flyweight and international super bantamweight titleholder had just started training with Freddie Roach prior to getting the call for the Ledwaba fight.

Roach went on to say in a later interview that after one round with the mitts, “this guy can fight.”

The mentor and his newest trainee then flew to the MGM Grand for a shot at the IBF super bantamweight title.

An unassuming Pacquiao dominated the heavily favored champion in just six rounds of a scheduled 12 rounds.

The Filipino fighter showed some jitters in the first few minutes but quickly found his footing towards the end of the first round as he caught the champion with some hard shots that broke his nose.

Sensing blood in the water, Pacquiao put the pressure on Ledwaba early in the second.

The Filipino knocked him down with a perfectly-placed left hand as the champion was rushing.

Ledwaba mounted some offense of his own, just enough to get himself a breather but the Pacquiao onslaught was determined.

To his credit, the orthodox Ledwaba was able to catch the southpaw Pacquiao with some shots, but the accumulated damage from the early rounds finally caught up to the champion.

Pacquiao floored Ledwaba with a cannon of a left hand, but the champion was able to get up from it.

However, a short, left hand put Ledwaba on the canvas again, and referee Joe Cortez called for the fight right then and there.

Showcasing the high-tempo fighter that he would soon become, the Filipino caught the champion off guard with wild yet accurate shots.

He threw his bread-and-butter combination of the double jab-straight repeatedly until Ledwaba could handle no more and the world became witness to a star in the making.

Who would’ve thought that a kid from the streets of one of the poorest regions in the Philippines would go on to become one of boxing’s greatest legends?

20 years ago, to the day since Pacquiao’s star-making performance and he may have one more fight left in the tank.

Pacquiao will be adding more to his legacy as he takes on Errol Spence Jr. on August 21 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.