Anthony Mundine spars with Brisbane schoolteacher Jeff Horn

BRISBANE boxing star Jeff Horn welcomed Anthony Mundine to the Sunshine State yesterday by punching him in the face as hard as he could. Several times.

Jeff Horn Anthony Mundine

BRISBANE boxing star Jeff Horn welcomed Anthony Mundine to the Sunshine State yesterday by punching him in the face as hard as he could. Several times.

"I got him a few good ones," said Horn, the 25-year-old London Olympian who had the day off work as a Brisbane primary school teacher to slug it out with Australia’s best known fighter.

"Mundine is one of the fastest boxers I’ve sparred but I still landed a few good punches. I tried to control his jab all the way and not give him the distance he wanted and I was really happy with the way it went."

Mundine, 38, the former WBA super-middleweight (76kg) champion, began his Queensland preparation for his October 23 fight with ageing boxing master Shane Mosley (71kg) yesterday with 10 fast paced rounds of sparring at the Boxing Express gym in Kangaroo Point.

He did six rounds with Horn, now the Australian professional welterweight champion, and four with Clay Waterman, a gold medallist at the world junior titles in 2011.

He will spend the next four weeks in Queensland ahead of the Mosley battle at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.
Mundine’s chief sparring partner will be Brisbane’s Moree-born Cameron Hammond, also a London Olympian, now rising through the professional ranks.

At the end of the 10 solid rounds yesterday, a weary Mundine told Horn: "Man, you’re an awkward guy to fight. You young guys are making me work hard up here."

Horn told The Courier- Mail: "Sparring Choc was a great experience.

"Going into the Olympics I was in with a couple of amateur guys who were probably even faster than him but he’s certainly the fastest professional fighter I’ve sparred.

"He gives you a false sense of security by going quiet for a while and then really snaking out that left hand like a whip. He’s got quick hands and you really have to be careful."

Horn’s trainer Glenn Rushton, who guided him to a stunning first-round KO of the world class Sam Colomban for the Australian welterweight title in Melbourne last week, said: "Anthony was delighted to get the top quality sparring today.

"He looks very fit with a month to go before the Mosley fight.

"I’d say he’s exactly where he should be with his preparation ... not peaking too early but still sharp and in great shape. He looks very serious about beating Shane Mosley."

Horn won two fights at the Olympics before being outpointed in his quarter-final against Ukraine’s silver medallist Denys Berinchyk. He is unbeaten in five pro bouts and will fight a rematch with Cameroon-born Rivan Cesaire at the RNA Showgrounds on November 16.