Critics acclaim Pacquiao

The hard-hitting Boxing News, a weekly trade paper published in London, finally had kind words for a Filipino fighter although it incorrectly reported that newly-crowned International Boxing Federation (IBF) superbantamweight champion Manny Pacquiao used to make a living hustling pool in dingy parlors.

In its June 29, 2001, issue, Boxing News used a blaring across-the-page headline "Pacquiao’s the man – and how" to top its story on the General Santos City slugger’s sixth round stoppage of Lehlo Ledwaba in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao was an unknown entity in the US before appearing on pay-per-view TV in the undercard of Oscar de la Hoya’s fight against Javier Castillejo at the MGM Grand Garden Arena last June 23. It was reported that the card registered at least 350,000 subscribers.

Ledwaba was the big favorite to retain the IBF crown. In the press room set up beside the Garden Arena, clippings were laid out on a table for reporters to use as backgrounders on the fighters in promoter Murad Muhammad’s card. The clippings were on de la Hoya, Castillejo, and Ledwaba exclusively. There was none on Pacquiao.

Boxing Update Flash, the authoritative newsletter out of California, described Pacquiao as "unsung" but lavished praise on the Filipino for "destroying" Ledwaba. Jack Welsh of Flash said Pacquiao "wasted little time in dominating" Ledwaba and "set the fight’s pattern by knocking down the champion in the second round." Welsh added that Ledwaba "could never get back in the fight."

In previous issues, Boxing News had severely criticized Filipino fighters Baby Lorona and Orlando Villaflor. Lorona was chastised for failing to put up a decent fight in losing to Juan Manuel Marquez on a second round knockout in Reno early this year while Villaflor, despite knocking out Luis Lizarraga in San Francisco last May, was unfairly vilified for displaying a lack of mobility. The paper commented that Lorona’s showing was an embarrassment to Philippine boxing which, it implied, enjoyed a golden era during Flash Elorde’s glory days in the 1960s and has since suffered a slump.

Boxing News admitted that before facing Pacquiao, Ledwaba was hailed as "the boxer with the future" particularly as he looked "so classy" in defeating Carlos Contreras on the Lennox Lewis-Hasim Rahman undercard last April. It described Pacquiao as "a former weight-drained WBC flyweight champion" and "a bamboo-tough Filipino who had the locks of his hair dyed orange and red, like a punk rocker."

Here’s Boxing News’ account:

"As the gangling 24-year-old (actually, 22) Filipino tore forward and jabbed hard with his right in the first (round), Ledwaba was already flinching low. Firing fast right-lefts, Pacquiao kept tagging the South African and had his nose bleeding. He was slamming more good, thumping shots home in the second.

"Suddenly, a short, inside left decked the champion, who stumbled up, badly hurt, but had two minutes to go. The Filipino drove him back with four or five more long shots and had Ledwaba in real trouble. The crowd watched with amazement as Pacquiao whaled away on the panther-like champion as if he were hammering a cheap heavy bag.

"A big left cross wobbled Lehlo again but the champion bravely began to fight back. Two good rights to the body halted Pacquiao’s rambunctious advance. Ledwaba started jabbing and came alive. It looked as if the fight might be turning around. The crowd ‘ooohed’ and ‘aaahed’ as the two gamecocks furiously raked each other.

"Pacquiao proved too tough and strong again at the bell. The blasé crowd gave them a big hand. The challenger had to keep up the pressure in the third because Ledwaba was the better boxer. With the South African’s white trunks smeared with blood, Pacquiao continued to hand out a beating, boxing, and countering.

"One ringsider was spot-on as he yelled, ‘He (Ledwaba) don’t like them body shots – he don’t like them body shots.’ Them body shots kept resounding. With Ledwaba’s nose gushing blood and his body being caved in, the 29-year-old champion tried to jab, move, and put punches together. But in the fourth, there were more thudding right-lefts that crashed in as Lehlo circled away.

"Although the Filipino took the fight on two weeks’ notice, he was sharp and couldn’t miss with his crosses. Another good cross wobbled Ledwaba at the bell and the South African’s corner couldn’t believe what was happening. The Filipino was slowing in the fifth and had to keep punching. Even with blood pouring from his nose, Ledwaba threatened to win it if it became a boxing match. His long jabs landed with impact.

"Pacquiao gave a malevolent grin as he ambled forward but the classy South African jabbed, moved and countered to regain control. But with the round coming to a close and Ledwaba moved along the ropes, Pacquiao slammed in another brutal cross which rocked him to his boots. This was effectively the end.

"Ledwaba came out for the sixth still groggy. The Filipino chased and bombed the fleeing South African with another straight left. Down Ledwaba went with a sickly look on his blood-smeared face. Instinctively, Lehlo got up, but the challenger caught him with another left cross, a wide left and a third blow which sent him clumsily down on his side.

"After holding the belt for three years, the bloody loser went through his final agonizing seconds as champion rolling painfully on the deck before he fell back and American referee Joe Cortez stopped it."

The report was by far the most detailed published account of what happened that fateful night when Pacquiao became only the third Filipino ever to capture world titles in two different divisions.