Thato Bonokoane has not slept since he heard about the sad news of the death of his trainer and former world champion Lehlohonolo ‘Hands of Stone’ Ledwaba.
The erstwhile International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior-featherweight king succumbed to COVID-19 on Friday.
“What a sad night for me. My current boxing coach is no more. One of the great boxing legends I’ve ever got to meet and work with,” Bonokoane said.
Bonokoane had hoped that Ledwaba would recover and return to their Central Western Jabavu, Soweto, gym ahead of his fight on Saturday, 31 July.
“The first coach to travel overseas with me. We were waiting for his recovery,” the 30-year-old Bonokoane said.
Soweto-born Ledwaba won the IBF belt when he outpointed American John Michael Johnson in May 1999. He made five defences of the title before he lost it to Filipino legend Manny Pacquiao via a sixth round stoppage in June 2001.
Ledwaba, a one-time World Boxing Union (WBU) bantamweight and featherweight champion, would have turned 50 on 27 July. The former South African junior-featherweight champion chalked up 36 victories with 23 stoppages, six losses and a draw during his professional boxing career.
