Not too many fans know that a former janitor from Uruguay played a big role in paving the way for Manny Pacquiao to shine as a marquee fighter in the US.
Sampson Lewkowicz, 56, convinced New Jersey promoter Murad Muhammad to take a chance on Pacquiao who flew to the US six years ago looking for a window of opportunity.
In 2001, Rod Nazario asked San Francisco lawyer Sydney Hall to find an American promoter for Pacquiao and it wasn’t easy locating someone to give him a break. Nazario brought Pacquiao from San Francisco to Los Angeles where he hooked up with Freddie Roach because two of Bebot Elorde’s boys were training at the Wild Card Gym.
Hall contacted Top Rank, Main Events and the Goosen brothers before sending Lewkowicz a tape of Pacquiao in action. The film showed Pacquiao scoring a one-punch knockout with a left hook to the body. Lewkowicz was impressed by Pacquiao’s raw power and conjured visions of a national hero in the making.
“I knew about Filipino fighters from the Flash Elorde days,” said Lewkowicz. “I also knew the Philippines had no international stars in football or basketball. So I thought the Philippines could use an idol, someone to bring pride to Filipinos. No sport other than boxing could do it. I saw in Pacquiao a new and exciting commodity, fresh blood. Nobody paid attention to him. I told Murad about Pacquiao but he couldn’t understand what I was talking about at first.”
Muhammad got Pacquiao a $10,000 purse to fight a Mexican in the undercard of a Las Vegas show featuring IBF superbantamweight champion Lehlo Ledwaba against challenger Enrique Sanchez. When Sanchez got cut in sparring, Pacquiao was called in to substitute with two weeks notice. His purse was upped to $35,000. But for Pacquiao, money wasn’t the issue – it was the chance to show his wares before a US audience. Pacquiao knocked out Ledwaba to wrest the IBF crown and was on his way to world fame.
Lewkowicz finished only up to high school in Uruguay whose claim to fame in boxing was producing the likes of contenders Alfredo Evangelista, Jose Maria Flores Burlon and Dogomar Martinez none of whom won a world title. He traveled to Argentina and Chile, searching for a living, then landed in the US at the age of 20.
‘My first job was at IBM,” recalled Lewkowicz during a recent visit to Manila. “I was very proud of what I did. I washed floors. For me, it doesn’t matter what type of work you do. What’s important is you do your work the best you can. That’s always been my principle in life. After IBM, I got involved in importing and exporting, selling antiques, dealing in electronics and finding odd stuff for customers. I worked out of Fifth Avenue in New York City and my clients included Sylvester Stallone and even Jimmy Carter. Among the things I sold were old 8mm boxing films of Muhammad Ali.”
Lewkowicz said in the 1980s, he met Grant Philips and they worked three years together establishing the boxing brand Grant for gloves, apparel and ring equipment. His relationship with Philips eventually soured and they wound up parting ways. But Lewkowicz’ introduction to boxing proved providential as he found a niche in matchmaking.
“I’ve known boxing since I was a kid,” said Lewkowicz. “In fact, I had a total of three amateur fights when I was 17. I quit boxing after I was knocked out. Today, I’m a free lance matchmaker. I work with Top Rank, the Goosens, Sycuan’s Ringside and others. But my family is Golden Boy.”
Aside from matchmaking, Lewkowicz manages WBA featherweight champion Chris John of Indonesia and WBA superbantamweight titlist Celestino Caballero of Panama.
Lewkowicz said what he admires about Filipino fighters is their warrior’s mentality. “I was absolutely not surprised that the Philippines beat Mexico in five of six fights at the recent World Cup,” he noted.
Lewkowicz said if Pacquiao beats Marco Antonio Barrera on Oct. 6, he’d like to suggest WBO interim lightweight champion Michael Katsidis as his next opponent.
“Styles make fights and that’s why I don’t think (Juan Manuel) Marquez will be an exciting opponent for Pacquiao,” said Lewkowicz. “There is no interest in that fight and I don’t think it will sell. Edwin Valero can’t fight in the US so from the point of view of economics, it doesn’t make sense to push him as an opponent. Fighting either Joan Guzman or Humberto Soto won’t bring in the dollars. But Katsidis is the new Arturo Gatti. That would be my dream match-up and Las Vegas is the perfect place for it.”
Lewkowicz, who conceptualized the World Cup format in pro boxing, said he will set up the Philippines’ defense of the $500,000 diamond-studded trophy next year. “It’s not easy to do a World Cup,” he explained. “At least two world title fights should be in the card and we want to find the right champions, the right challengers and the right fighters. That takes a lot of coordination and timing. It’s very complicated. The IBF wants the Philippines to defend against the US while the WBO wants Puerto Rico as the challenger. We’re very upbeat on the future of the World Cup because it’s such an exciting global concept.”
