Meet the man who discovered Manny Pacquiao - Sampson Lewkowicz

Sampson Lewkowicz discovered Manny Pacquiao when he was just 20-years-old

Just one punch made then-matchmaker Lewkowicz immediately sign the fresh Filipino

The year is 1999 and a lawyer representing an unknown super bantamweight from the Philippines is having trouble getting anyone to pay any attention to his client. All the sport’s top promoters have said they have no interest in a 120-lb fighter from a distant country.

Sampson Lewkowicz, then working as a matchmaker for Murad Muhammad’s M & M Sports is in a meeting with the lawyer and they are watching a video of one of the fighter’s early victories.

“I watched a fight from the beginning of his career, and he won by a bodyshot knockdown,” recalled Lewkowicz. “I watched it again in slow motion and realized it was an amazing left hook to the body. I went straight to Murad and said we have to sign this kid. He’s the future of boxing. I could tell because I do my homework.”

And so, on that fateful day, future superstar Manny Pacquiao signed a promotional contract with M&M, handwritten by the lawyer. Soon after that, the unknown underdog knocked out champion Lehlo Ledwaba in six brutal rounds. A star was born.

Lewkowicz still has the contract to this day. It changed boxing. And planted the roots to his legendary ability to spot raw talent in off-the-beaten-path locations.

Lewkowicz discovered a great passion for the sport of boxing a young boy in Montevideo, Uruguay. So much so that he even had a brief amateur career consisting of three fights held at the local YMCA, compiling a 2-1 record. His sole defeat came via knockout “I went flying out of the ring and at that point I discovered that my future was not in the squared circle” he laughed.

Searching for new horizons, Lewkowicz emigrated to the US at age 20 in 1971. Three years later, he married his wife Ketty, his lifelong companion. They later had a son Nathan.

Two years later, Lewkowicz was working as a manager at the prestigious electronics store Jason’s 5th Avenue and later Joal 5th Avenue in New York City. While there, and based on his charm and personality, Lewkowicz established very warm friendships with the likes of Sylvester Stallone, Jack Nicholson, Paul Newman, ex-President Jimmie Carter Real Estate Tycoon Donald Trump and World Boxing Council President Jose Sulaiman.

Ingrid Bergman developed such a close friendship that she confided in him before anybody that she had been diagnosed with cancer.

It was while meeting Mr. Sulaiman that his interest in boxing returned. Lewkowicz soon took the plunge and signed his first boxer, middleweight Brian Barbosa and guided him to two important championship eliminator bouts versus Antwun Echols and Carl Daniels.

The year is now 2007 and Lewkowicz spots something in an Argentinean middleweight contender named Sergio Martinez. The unknown Martinez is already a 10-year pro, who failed in his only important fight by getting stopped in seven rounds by future world champion Antonio Margarito.

But Lewkowicz sees something.

“Sergio had just fought Saul Roman in an elimination bout for the WBC and won by KO 4. I was still a matchmaker then and not a promoter, so I called all the big-name promoters again and asked if they are interested in signing him? I was told that Argentineans don’t bring anything to the table. I finally took him to Lou DiBella. I said Lou, you made a mistake with Manny Pacquiao. Don’t miss this one and to his credit, this time he trusted me. We all started working together with Lou as promoter and me as advisor and matchmaker.”

Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez would go on to become unified middleweight champion and a boxing superstar over the last seven years of his career.

In the present day, Lewkowicz has switched over to promoting his own fighters and has already brought World Super Middleweight Champion David Benavidez to stardom and is now guiding red-hot middleweight giant Sebastian Fundora to glory.

“I take the leftovers and make history with them,” said Lewkowicz with a smile.

OTHER SAMPSON LEWKOWICZ CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

On January 15, 2000, in New York City’s famous Radio City Music Hall Lewkowicz organized the only boxing event ever held at this iconic venue. The featured bout that night was between Roy Jones Jr. vs David Tedesco.

In 2004 Lewkowicz produced another historical event in Louisville Kentucky where Mike Tyson was defeated by Danny Williams.

Lewkowicz works in South America with Arano Box Promotions where he guided Jorge “La Hiena” Barrios into a champion and created title opportunities for Jorge “Locomotora’ Castro and Wilfredo Vilchez as well.

As Barrios’ advisor, Lewkowicz was instrumental in putting together one of the greatest fights in history, Jorge Barrios vs. Acelino Freitas, as he worked closely with all the parties and the WBO to secure mandatory challenger Joel Casamayor step-aside money to make the exciting fight happen.

Lewkowicz represented fighters and made several historical matches with Golden Boy Promotions and was the brains behind “The World Cup of Boxing” during both editions of the event. (Mexico vs Thailand and Mexico vs Philippines).

With Sydney Olympic games silver medalist Sultan Ibragimov, Sampson and manager Boris Grimberg were able to make history as they developed Sultan from pro debut to a mandatory position, followed by winning the WBO Title from Shannon Briggs. Ibragimov successfully defended that belt against Evander Holyfield before losing it to Wladimir Klitschko.

During Martinez’s championship reign, Lewkowicz once refused the award for Manager of the Year from the BWAA, as he was technically an advisor.

In 2003, Lewkowicz was approached for help by a representative of then unknown Indonesian fighter Chris John. Lewkowicz agreed and helped John go on to win and make 17 title defenses of the WBA Featherweight Championship.

Lewkowicz brought future WBC Super Welterweight Champion Javier Castillejo of Spain, future WBA Super Featherweight Champion Yober Ortega of Venezuela and future IBF Lightweight Champion Leavander Johnson to promotional contracts and eventual world championships.

World Champions Represented by Sampson Lewkowicz / Sampson Boxing

Sultan Ibragimov, Russia
(WBO HEAVYWEIGHT)

Javier Castillejo, Spain
(WBC Super Welter)

Leavander Johnson, USA
(IBF Lightweight)

Celestino “Pelenchin” Caballero, Panama
(WBA/IBF Super Bantamweight)

Michael Katsidis, Australia
(WBO Lightweight)

Jorge R. Barrios, Argentina
(WBA Super Featherweight)

Yober Ortega, Venezuela
(WBA Super Featherweight)

Somsak Sitchawal, Thailand
(WBA Super Bantamweight)

Ratnchanai Sor Vorapin, Thailand
(WBO Bantamweight)

Rafael Concepcion, Panama
(WBA Interim Super Flyweight)

Muhammad Rachman, Indonesia
(IBF Minimumweight)

Gabriel Campillo, Spain
(WBA Light Heavyweight)

Donnie Nietes, Philippines
(WBO Light Flyweight)

Hanna Gabriel, Costa Rica
(WBO Welterweight Female)

Simpiwe Vetyeka, South Africa
(IBO Bantamweight)

Cassius Baloyi, South Africa
(IBF Super Featherweight)

Malcolm Klassen, South Africa
(IBF Super Featherweight)

Ali Funeka, South Africa
(WBF Light Welterweight)

Mzonke Fana, South Africa
(IBF Super Featherweight)

Jeffrey Mathebula, South Africa
(IBF Super Bantamweight)

Takalani Ndlovu, South Africa
(IBF Super Bantamweight)

Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez, Argentina
(WBC Diamond Middleweight)

Chris “The Dragon” John, Indonesia
(WBA Featherweight)

Krystof Wlodarzyk, Poland
(IBF Cruiserweight)

Kina Malpartida, Peru
(WBA Female Super Featherweight)

Katy Pamela Wilson, Dominican Republic
(IBF Female Super Bantamweight)

Brian Magee, Ireland
(WBA Super Middleweight)

Anselmo Moreno, Panama
(WBA World Bantamweight Super Champion)

Cecilia Comunales, Uruguay
(WBA Female Lightweight)

Dahianna Santana, Dominican Republic
(IBF Female Featherweight)

Moruti Mthalane South Africa
(IBF Flyweight)