Lehlohonolo Benedict Ledwaba (27 July 1971 – 2 July 2021) was a South African
professional boxer who competed from 1990 to 2006, and held the
IBF
The International Boxing Federation (IBF) is one of four major organizations recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) which sanctions professional boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Counci ...
super bantamweight Super bantamweight, also known as junior featherweight, is a weight class in professional boxing, contested from and up to .
There were attempts by boxing promoters in the 1920s to establish this weight class, but few sanctioning organizations or ...
title from 1999 to 2001.
Ledwaba died from
COVID-19 on 2 July 2021, at age 49.
Professional career
Ledwaba turned pro in 1990 and in 1999 captured the vacant IBF super bantamweight title with a decision victory over
John Michael Johnson
John Michael Johnson (born June 23, 1968, in San Antonio, Texas, USA) is a retired American bantamweight boxer He made his professional debut in 1986 and was a WBA bantamweight world champion
Professional career
Known as "Bam Bam," Johnson turn ...
. Ledwaba defended the belt 5 times before losing it to
Manny Pacquiao via TKO to earn Pacquiao his second world championship in two weight divisions. Ledwaba continued to fight, but has never challenged for a major title since the loss. He retired from boxing after his loss to Maxwell Awuku on 24 November 2006.
Professional boxing record
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ledwaba, Lehlohonolo
1971 births
2021 deaths
Bantamweight boxers
International Boxing Federation champions
Sportspeople from Soweto
South African male boxers
Super-bantamweight boxers
Featherweight boxers
Super-featherweight boxers
World super-bantamweight boxing champions
Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa