Australia’s former world champion Jeff Horn says one-time rival Tim Tszyu can knockout Sebastian Fundora in their world-title rematch

He is the only man to have fought Manny Pacquiao and Tim Tszyu and now Australia’s former boxing golden boy Jeff Horn says Tszyu can emulate him and win a rematch.

He was the underdog Aussie who famously shocked Manny Pacquiao and now Jeff Horn has backed his one-time enemy Tim Tszyu to overcome his “demons” and pull off another world-title ambush.

The only man to have fought Pacquiao and Tszyu, Horn is well credentialed to assess the claims of both men, who will spearhead a blockbuster world-title card in Las Vegas on Sunday (AEST).

Pacquiao faces Mario Barrios at age 46 for the WBC welterweight world title, while in the co-main, Tszyu will look to exact revenge in his super welterweight rematch against Sebastian Fundora at MGM Grand.

Horn was hailed a national hero when he stunned Pacquiao in their world-title bout at Suncorp Stadium in 2017, only to be dethroned three years later by Tszyu, who dismantled ‘The Hornet’ in Townsville.

Tszyu became the new poster boy for Australian boxing when he beat Jeff Horn in 2020. Picture: Alix Sweeney

Tszyu became the new poster boy for Australian boxing after that win and Horn says his successor can use the scar tissue of his loss to Fundora last year to exact revenge on the ‘Towering Inferno’.

“I think Tim has a lot of demons in his mind,” said Horn, the former WBO welterweight world champion who never fought again after losing to Tszyu in 2020.

“But those demons can bring out the best in Tim.

“He has experienced the best in the world and that’s a good thing in a way, because he has been in the fire.

“Tim now knows what it can be like at the top level and I know he never wants to be in that position again.

“Tim underestimated Murtazaliev but he is a smart fighter and he won’t make the same mistakes.

“Tim was on top of Fundora early in their first fight, I thought he was going to stop him easily until got unlucky with that massive head cut.

Horn shocked the world with his defeat of Manny Pacquiao in 2017.

“He just has to box smart and I can see him chopping Fundora down to become a world champion again.”

Horn is proof the vanquished can hit back and win a rematch.

Two years after upsetting Pacquiao, Horn suffered a devastating ninth-round TKO loss to Michael Zerafa in Bendigo, but recovered four months later to win their Brisbane rematch by majority decision.

Like Tszyu, Horn battled a bloodied face to pummel the ‘Pretty Boy’ and the Queenslander says the son of Kostya can take a leaf from his comeback book.

“I beat Zerafa in a rematch and I hope Tim can see you can come back from a loss,” Horn said.

“After losing to Zerafa, it gave me more grit and I pushed myself harder to get that win.

“Timmy can take what I’ve done in my career, have a different mindset for the rematch and thrive on what happened.

“He has to just forget that loss to Fundora and not let it affect him mentally.”

Horn believes Tszyu has the power to knockout Sebastian Fundora.

Now 37, Horn said he was surprised by Tszyu’s strength in their showdown in Townsville and believes the ‘Soul Taker’ has the power to knockout Fundora.

“I didn’t think Tim would be as good as he was,” said Horn, who was stopped in the eighth round by Tszyu.

“That was the fight I really underestimated.

“I thought I would be able to go in there and manhandle Tim, like I did with Manny, but I wasn’t able to use my physical size at all.

“He simply outboxed me and Tim’s power was good enough to put me away.

“If Tim is careful early and not reckless, he has the power to stop Fundora and depending on the way he wins, he could even unify the super welterweight division.”

Originally published as Australia’s former world champion Jeff Horn says one-time rival Tim Tszyu can knockout Sebastian Fundora in their world-title rematch