Former world champion Lehlohonolo “Hands of Stone” Ledwaba of South Africa has passed away at the age of 49.

According to Supersport, Ledwaba passed away from COVID-19 on his way to a local hospital on Friday. He would have turned 50 on July 27.

Ledwaba competed from 1990 to 2006 and held the IBF super bantamweight title from 1999 to 2001.

He turned pro in 1990 and in 1999 captured the vacant IBF world title at 122-pounds with a twelve round decision win over John Michael Johnson.

Ledwaba defended the title five times.

He would lose the title in the most famous fight of his pro career - when he was stopped in six rounds by a young Manny Pacquiao in 2001. That fight took place on the undercard of Oscar De La Hoya vs. Javier Castillejo at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Pacquiao entered the fight as an complete unknown and put on a sensational performance that jumpstarted his Hall of Fame career in the United States.

Ledwaba would eventually retire from boxing after losing to Maxwell Awuku in November of 2006.

He finished his career with a respectable record of 36 wins, 6 losses and 1 draw. Among his wins, 23 of them were by knockout.