Pacquiao vows all-out war vs Ledwaba

LAS VEGAS — In his toughest test ever, Manny Pacquiao battles dangerous International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior featherweight champion Lehlo Ledwaba of South Africa in a scheduled 12-round title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena here this morning (Manila time).

Ledwaba, 29, is a skillful ring technician who boasts a record of 33-1-1, with 22 KOs. He’s making his sixth defense of the crown he won two years ago. Ledwaba’s promoter Rodney Berman predicted an eighth round knockout win for the South African, a vicious body puncher known as the "Hands of Stone."

Pacquiao, 22, said he doesn’t expect the fight to go beyond six rounds. And he doesn’t expect to lose. Pacquiao added that he’ll pressure Ledwaba, a notoriously slow starter, from the first bell and turn the bout into a full-scale war.

Both fighters easily made the 122-pound limit at the weigh-in yesterday afternoon. Pacquiao tipped the scales at 121 and Ledwaba, 122.

IBF President Hiawatha Knight appointed veteran Joe Cortez, 57, to referee the match. Judges are Bill Graham, 85, Jerry Roth, 60, and Deborah Barnes, 46.

IBF rules will be in effect – no three knockdown rule, no standing eight-count, no fighter can be saved by the bell in any round, no-contest to be declared if a fighter is unable to continue due to an accidental headbutt within four rounds but a technical decision to be awarded the fighter ahead on points after four rounds.

For Pacquiao, fighting for the world title in the glow of the Las Vegas klieg lights is a dream come true. He’s not awed by the glitz. Pacquiao, a parttime movie actor, is a celebrity in his own right. The fight will be beamed on pay-per-view TV in the US and marks his Stateside debut. Pacquiao’s record is 32-2, with 23 KOs.

Pacquiao, manager Marty Elorde, and business agent Rod Nazario left Manila for the US last May 17. They initially stayed in San Francisco then moved to Los Angeles last June 2 before arriving here last Tuesday.

At Los Angeles, Nazario arranged for Pacquiao to train at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym. Roach, once a fringe featherweight contender who learned the ropes from Joe Frazier’s trainer Eddie Futch, and Pacquiao hit it off from the start.

"I hate lazy fighters – that’s why I love Manny, he works so hard in the gym and he’s a fast learner," said Roach who’ll work Pacquiao’s corner with Mexican cutman Ruben Gomez and Filipino Ben Delgado. "I expect him to beat Ledwaba. He’s quicker and stronger. Manny hits harder than any fighter I know in his division. The difference in the fight will be speed. Manny can’t stand in front of Ledwaba because he’ll get hit. He’s got to use his footspeed and look for angles. A small sidestep – a little side-to-side movement – will make all the difference. Ledwaba has a textbook style – he’ll technically sound and he’s smart. But I don’t see him beating Manny."