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Former world champion Lehlohonolo “Hands of Stone” Ledwaba is on a mission to produce top-class boxers who will rule the global stage in future – just like he did in his prime.
The 45-year-old Ledwaba, who hails from White City in Soweto, previously held the World Boxing Union featherweight and International Boxing Federation (IBF) super bantamweight titles during his distinguished career.
He quit fighting in 2006 due to a detached retina, a disorder in which
the retina peels away from its support tissue.
Hands of Stone is now a trainer at CWJ Boxing Club, where he started his boxing career.
He is in charge of 15 amateur fighters and three professionals.
Among his upstarts are 18-year-old flyweights Lucky Nopondo and Kagiso Morwane, who will hopefully turn professional next year.
Fighters who campaign in the paid ranks include Tshifhiwa “Timer” Munyai, a lightweight campaigner from Thohoyandou in Limpopo who has had seven wins and four defeats out of 11 fights.
Hands of Stone is fired-up about his task as a mentor after a boxing career that saw him lose his IBF crown to Filipino Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in 2001.
Ledwaba believes that being a trainer will enable him to produce top-class boxers who will reign supreme.
When City Press visited his gym this week, Ledwaba was taking his charges through the routine of skipping, sparring and hitting the punching bags.
“I feel proud to plough back into boxing by training fighters. There is an abundance of talent in our gym,” he said.
“I’d like to produce world champions in future who will be champs just like myself.”
Ledwaba believes Nopondo and Morwane have the potential to win national championship belts and ultimately challenge for world crowns.
“They are very sharp and talented and will hopefully rule the world like I did during my time,” said Ledwaba.
He said Munyai was being prepared to fight for the World Boxing Federation Pan-African title soon.
“He has been with me since 2013 and has won his last three fights. He had a weak defence, but has now improved a lot. He now packs a mean punch.”
Ledwaba joins a growing list of Mzansi’s erstwhile world champions turned trainers.
They include Jan “Kid Gavilan” Bergman, who previously held the World Boxing Council international super lightweight and World Boxing Union welterweight crowns.
Bergman currently guides the career of World Boxing Association Pan-African interim middleweight champion Welcome Ntshingila.
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