Manny Pacquiao transformed his life after taking a $40,000 risk in late-notice 2001 US debut

Manny Pacquiao stopped Lehlo Ledwaba for the world title on two weeks notice

In 2001, Lehlo Ledwaba was set to make a sixth defense of his super-bantamweight world title against Enrique Sanchez.

After Sanchez withdrew with injury, though, Ledwaba was forced to find a new opponent to defend his crown against.

In stepped a 23-year-old Manny Pacquiao, who had just two weeks to prepare, and was paid $40,000 for the fight.

Pacquiao, who lost to Tim Bradley in one of boxing’s biggest controversies, knew this was more than a quick paycheck; it was a chance for greatness. He fought his heart out, dropping Ledwaba three times before stopping him in the sixth round.

Now a super-bantamweight world champion, Pacquiao had certainly let the boxing world know his name.

Manny Pacquiao’s win over Ledwaba was his first fight with Freddie Roach

In an article by TalkSport, Pacquiao revealed that the fight with Ledwaba came just as the right time, as he was in the US, just about to leave to head back home to the Philippines.

Pacquiao said he had gone to a gym near to his hotel, and it was there he met long-time trainer Freddie Roach.

“We wandered over to a gym that had been recommended to us – Wild Card Boxing Club – and my manager introduced himself to a man in the gym and told him he was looking for a trainer to work mitts with me.”

“Freddie and I had trained together about two weeks and now I’m walking into the ring at the MGM Grand to fight Ledwaba on HBO pay-per-view. It was crazy. That fight changed my life.”