Education: Cal-State Northridge University BA Psychology.

Age: 43.

Place of Birth: San Francisco, CA

First boxing memory: Getting my ass kicked in sparring in 1996.

Boxing inspirations: Oscar De La Hoya, because he is such a smart business man and has a good heart. Not to mention, style, class and good looks!

Last book read: Reading “Salvador” by Joan Didion. It’s about the civil war in El Salvador in 1982. I hate war, but I have always been fascinated by the politics of war.

First job: Picking strawberries in the fields at 11 years old. It was actually pretty fun, but I knew then I wanted something more out of life.

Current car: Mercedes CLK.

First car: Toyota pick up.

Strangest Fight/Opponent: “…This girl was a nut! She kept taunting me in the ring saying, ‘C’mon bitch! knockout me out bitch!’ Then she’d turn and say, ‘Damn you’re hot [laughs]!’”

Favorite movies: Rocky’s 1, 2, 3, 6, An American Me, Gone With The Wind, Born on the 4th of July.

Greatest boxing moment: All the fights I opened for Oscar De La Hoya.

Most painful boxing moment: The day my trainer Art Lovett died and losing to Brook Dierdorff, twice.

Favorite boxers to watch: All the females of boxing.

Funny boxing memory: Fredia Gibbs, best female fighter ever, we were so crazy, the things we did in boxing… I’ll never tell [smiles].

Embarrassing boxing memory: Peeing in the ring.

Hardest puncher encountered: A girl I easily beat because her skill wasn’t very good, but she hit so hard it felt like I was getting hit by a steel pipe. I still have brain damage from her. I will never reveal her name [smiles].

Toughest opponent: Jessica Rackozy. I thanked God for every round I made it out alive.

Childhood dream(s): To be Rocky Balboa, to live that life.

Strangest fight/opponent: My last fight! I didn’t know if she wanted to kill me or have sex with me. It was very strange.

Favorite meal: After the weigh in! Cheeseburger, fries, Coke and chocolate cake with ice cream.

Favorite ice cream flavor: Chocolate/peanut butter.

People qualities most admired: Charitable, love for humanity, love for learning about the world and one’s own self.

Ht: 5-6 Wt: 147

DOB: December 17, 1978 In: Cabangal, Philippines

Age started boxing: 12.

Early boxing memory: My first fight gave me one dollar. I gave the dollar to my mother.

Favorite all-time fighter: Sugar Ray Leonard.

Pre-fight meal: Rice and fish.

Pre-fight superstition: Pray. Just pray. Pray right before I go to fight.

Typical breakfast: Soup and bread.

Toughest part of being a boxer: When you prepare for the fight. When you train hard.

Last book read: Purpose Driven Live by Rick Warren.

Current Car: Which one [smiles?]

Toughest man faced: There’s a lot. But one of them was the (first Erik) Morales fight. The hardest puncher was Oscar De La Hoya.

What supplements do you take: I can’t tell you that [smiles]. I have a sports store in the Philippines.

If you weren’t a boxer, what would you be: I don’t know. It’s hard to say.

Favorite soccer team: Argentina.

Why Argentina: Because they’re good [smiles].

Best boxer in the sport today: I think from the Philippines [laughs].

Boxing inspiration: Like all my fights, I dedicate this fight to my country. I remember as a little boy I ate one meal a day and sometimes slept in the street. I will never forget that and it inspires me to fight hard, stay strong and remember all the people of my country, trying to achieve better for themselves.
Hobbies/Leisure activities: Playing guitar, chess, basketball, singing.

Nicknames: Manny, Pac Man, The Destroyer.

Favorite movies: My movies.

Musical tastes: Folk, rock, love songs.

Favorite TV shows: My TV shows.

First boxing memory: Hearing Mike Tyson lose to Buster Douglas on radio (age 11).

Pre-fight feeling: Nothing, blank.

First job: Construction worker.

First car: Toyota Corolla.

Favorite meal: Steak.

Favorite ice cream flavor: None.

Funny boxing memory: None.

Childhood dreams: To be a famous boxer. And to finish studies.

Greatest boxing moment: “Winning my first championship (WBC Flyweight – TKO 4 Gabriel Mira in April 1999 in Quezon City).

Most painful moment: Losing my first championship belt. (Lost title on scales because he failed to make required weight of 112. Consequently lost by KO 3 the next day to Medgoen Singsurat in September 1999 in Thailand.)

Worst injury: None.

Favorite boxers to watch: Sugar Ray Leonard. Felix Trinidad. Oscar De La Hoya.

Favorite vacation spot: Beaches in the Philippines.

Embarrassing boxing memory: None.

People qualities most admired: Kind-hearted, good-natured, honest.

Photo Credit: Chris Farina.

 Everybody’s favorite judge and HBO’s unofficial scorekeeper Harold Lederman took time out to talk some sweet science. Read on to learn Harold’s thoughts on this weekend, why he believes Floyd will do the right thing and fight the winner, why he likes Paul Williams and Tavoris Cloud and much more…

BoxingInsider: We have the big one we all been waiting for this weekend, you have to be excited.

Harold Lederman: “Very much so, I think it’s going to be a sensational fight. Miguel Cotto is a very hard puncher, he’s the bigger guy. Durable, he keeps coming, he always makes exciting fights. He digs to the body. He’s certainly capable of giving Manny Pacquiao trouble.”

BoxingInsider: You’re picking Cotto to win?

Harold Lederman: “No I’m not picking anybody. I gotta keep score, I gotta be nuetral [laughs]. But Manny is really in his prime right now. Bigger guys don’t bother him, we saw what he did to Oscar, David Diaz, Ricky Hatton. He looks sensational. He throws a punch, he just doesn’t miss. Always right on the money. The question is can he stop a real full fledged 147 pound fighter like Miguel Cotto? We don’t know. On the other hand, can he stand up to Cotto’s power? It’s gonna be interesting. If Cotto looks great…if either one of them looks great, it’s gonna set up a heckuva fight with Floyd Mayweather. I’m really excited.”

BoxingInsider: Do you think it will happen? Floyd seems not to be too interested.

Harold Lederman: “I think Floyd is looking for the best money he can get. And I think the best money he can get is with the winner of Pacquiao-Cotto. I think it’s a bigger fight than Shane Mosley. I think more people will want to see it. The Mosley fight might be easier to make but I think Floyd will just look at the numbers and say, I’m gonna do the best fight – Cotto or Pacquiao. Personally I think Floyd is praying for Manny Paquiao to win because he loves to fight small guys [laughs]. But it remains to be seen. If the fight turns out to be a dull fight – which I don’t think is gonna happen – then Floyd will probably take Shane Mosley.”

BoxingInsider: But we have heard rumors that Floyd is looking to make a Hatton rematch, or pick Dimitri Salita – if Salita upsets Khan.

Harold Lederman: “I don’t think so. I doubt it. I think he’s looking for the biggest money he can make. I think it’s with the winner of Pacquiao-Cotto.”

BoxingInsider: This will be the biggest night of the year for boxing.

Harold Lederman: “Huge, I think it’s absolutely gonna be huge. Everybody wants to see the fight. It’s exciting, it’s huge in the Latin and Filipino communities. The guy on the street wants to see it.”

BoxingInsider: Yeah people like Shaq, the New York Giants are hyped about it. Like the Larry Holmes era in the 80s, the welterweight division is picking up the slack and taking the sport to a higher level.

Harold Lederman: “There’s more interesting fights at welterweight than there is at heavyweight. The heavyweights are dominated by the Klitschkos, they look terrific. You can’t take it away from them, they just keep on winning. You don’t see any opponents out there who can give them a competitive fight. They both have fights coming up – Vitali with Kevin Johnson and Wladimir with Eddie Chambers.”

BoxingInsider: We know who will win those.

Harold Lederman: “That’s what I’m saying, the Klitschkos are so dominant. Eddie Chambers is really a good fighter, but at his size, can be beat Wladimir Klitschko? He’s not a really big guy.”

BoxingInsider: Solis from Cuba looks like he could be the future of the heavyweight division.

Harold Lederman: “You know what scares me about Odlanier Solis? I saw him beat Monte Barrett and he has power. But when he was an amateur beating Felix Savon, he weighed 201. For Monte Barrett he weighed 271. That’s scary. I don’t know if he can put on all that weight and be efective. I don’t know, I’m a little leery. Wait till we see him in a couple more fights. He may be suffering from that problem Chris Arreola has – in other words, he may be 25-30 pounds overweight. But from what I saw in the Barrett fight, it sure looks like he can punch.”

BoxingInsider: With the “Super Six” on Showtime, Cotto and Pacquiao on Saturday, you’ve been in boxing a long time. Is your enthusiasm for the sport still very high? Or has it declined?

Harold Lederman: “No [laughs]. Not in the least [laughs]. Without question, Mikkel Kessler-Andre Ward is gonna be a great fight, there’s no doubt about that. And our show is going to be fabulous. I’m really excited about several fights coming up. I’m really looking forward to seeing Paul Williams against Sergio Martinez in Atlantic City.I’m looking forward to Paulie Malignaggi-Juan Diaz again December 12 in Chicago. I’m looking forward to Librado Andrade-Bute in Quebec City.”

BoxingInsider: How good is Paul Williams?

Harold Lederman: “Dynamite. When do you see a southpaw knock people out with right hooks? I mean, he doubles and triples the left hook. Which is unheard of for a southpaw. I think he’s a terrific fighter, he really is. Not only does he have a helluva straight left hand, good size, good power, but what he can do with a right hand is amazing for a southpaw.”

BoxingInsider: And where is the boxing talent in America? The amateur system is not producing the future stars like we have come to expect, especially in the heavyweight division. What is going on?

Harold Lederman: “We will. It’s a lull in the action. They’ll be back. I guarantee they’ll be back. There’s Deontay Wilder, Demetrius Andrade from the last Olympics. Guys like that. It’s just a matter of time. Now there isn’t a lot of young Americans coming up but I’m impressed by Tavoris Cloud. He seems to be a great name that we didn’t know about. The new IBF Light Heavyweight champion of the world. He impresses me with his punching power. I’m sure, before long, we’re going to see a whole lot of new faces.”