Inexperience a handicap for Horn

BRISBANE – Jeff Horn learned how to box when he was 18 and his motivation was to stand up to the bullies in school. He was known as soft-spoken, nerdy student in high school and often got pushed around by toughies on campus. One day, Horn decided to take on a feared trio of bullies and was beaten up. That led Horn to trainer Glenn Rushton’s Stretton Boxing Club here to learn how to box and defend himself.

Horn’s introduction to boxing started a love affair with the sport. Before long, it wasn’t just to silence the bullies. Horn became proficient in the ring and with Rushton’s guidance, began fighting in the amateur ranks. He went on to represent Australia at the 2011 AIBA World Championships and the 2012 London Olympics. Horn turned pro in 2013 at the age of 25 and has since racked up a record of 16-0-1, with 11 KOs.

Horn was only six when WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao made his pro debut in 1995. And by the time Pacquiao was 25, he had already logged 45 fights and won the WBC flyweight and IBF superbantamweight crowns. Horn’s activity as a pro has been frenetic as if to make up for lost time by cramming. He’s averaged four fights a year. While Horn has engaged in 17 fights since 2013, Pacquiao has figured in only six. The disparity in experience will be a major handicap when Horn takes on Pacquiao at the Suncorp Stadium here this morning (Manila time).

A quick review of Horn’s opponents shows a lack of quality opposition. Perhaps, his only credible victim was former IBF welterweight champion Randall Bailey. But Horn fought Bailey last year when the American was already 41 and over the hill. Still, Bailey managed to floor Horn once before surrendering on his stool before the start of the eighth round. Horn has been decked in two of his last three fights.

Because of Horn’s come-forward style, he’s easily hit. In 2015, he was cut over the left eye in a fight against Viktor Plotnikov in New Zealand. The wound took six stitches to close. Last December, Horn suffered a wound over the other eye in a fight against Ali Funeka in New Zealand and it took seven stitches to sew up. Horn’s reputation as a bleeder is a vulnerability that Pacquiao will exploit. Additionally, Horn has undergone surgery to repair fractures in his left hand and thyroid cartilage. He walks around with titanium screws and pins in his left hand and a titanium plate to shield his windpipe.

Even after Horn turned pro, he wasn’t a full-time boxer. Horn was a substitute teacher at Pallara Primary School and Forest Care in Brisbane. Horn has an education degree from Griffith University here so he’s got a teaching career to fall back on after his boxing days are over. 

Against Pacquiao, Horn has nothing to lose and everything to gain. He’s a 4-1 underdog and experts are convinced he’s not in Pacquiao’s class. There’s talk that Horn wouldn’t have landed the fight against Pacquiao if the Dubai promoters didn’t back out of a deal for an Amir Khan bout because of Ramadan. If Horn fights courageously and isn’t embarrassed by Pacquiao, his career would get an incredible boost despite a loss.

Horn said he’s destined for greatness and Pacquiao is his ticket to glory. Rushton, a millionaire investment manager who worked as a bricklayer, photographer and a health food store operator before making a fortune in property development, said he’s confident of victory.

“Toughness isn’t about how many tattoos you’ve got or how you act or how big you talk,” he said, quoted by Grantlee Kieza of The Courier Mail. “It comes from belief in yourself and Jeff has developed that through a positive focus and years of hard, physical and mental training. I sent him to (Korean-born conditioning coach) Dundee (Kim) to strengthen his back, shoulders and arms. I did bodybuilding myself for 10 years and I know the benefits of weight training for boxers.”

Kim started working with Horn four years ago. “We have achieved what we wanted physically,” he said. “Jeff has the muscle mass and the conditioning but also the speed. We worked a lot on his fast twitch muscles and his reactions with punching pad work. Putting together really fast combinations. We’ve worked on building a boxer who punches very fast but with a lot of power. Jeff is very strong. He has great footwork. He’s moving really well and his right hand and left hook are tremendous. One good punch on the chin from him and Manny Pacquiao is out. Manny is a great boxer and we can’t underestimate him. But we know Jeff has worked much harder than him for this fight.”

Despite the oozing confidence from Horn’s camp, Pacquiao isn’t fazed. He’s focused on delivering a strong message that at 38, there’s still a lot of fighting left in his body. Pacquiao is motivated to win convincingly as he has plans of booking four more bouts before finally hanging up his gloves. But Pacquiao’s biggest motivation is making his countrymen proud. That’s what will carry him to a big win this morning.