Jeff Horn opens up about his drive for another fight and who he wants to face in the ring

He is the forgotten man of Australian boxing. But has Jeff Horn retired? No. This is what it would take to get him back in the ring.

Jeff Horn hasn’t fought since his loss to Tim Tszyu. Picture: Matt Taylor

Former world champion Jeff Horn says he is not ready to retire from boxing and revealed he is considering a comeback fight against Tim Tszyu to “avenge” his shattering loss.

The Queenslander who famously conquered Manny Pacquiao was widely tipped to walk away from boxing in the wake of his comprehensive, eight-round defeat to Tszyu in Townsville last August.

Since being clinically picked apart by Tszyu, Horn has become the forgotten man of Australian boxing.

He hasn’t trained, let alone fought, for 221 days. It has fuelled a belief the 33-year-old has hung up his gloves to focus on life as an anti-bullying ambassador for a generation of Australian schoolkids.

But in the aftermath of Tszyu’s fifth-round demolition of his former stablemate Dennis Hogan in Newcastle on Wednesday night, Horn told The Sunday Mail he has left the door ajar for a shot at redemption.

Watch Paul Gallen v Lucas Browne only on Main Event on Wednesday 21 April at 7pm AEST. ORDER NOW >

Jeff Horn hasn’t fought since his loss to Tim Tszyu. Picture: Matt Taylor

“Have I retired? No I haven’t,” said Horn, who has won 20 of his 24 professional bouts, including 13 by stoppage.

“I definitely haven’t ruled out the possibility of fighting again.

“I still haven’t woken up one night saying, ‘This is it’.

“To be honest, I’m having feelings like I should have another fight … should I have another crack at this?

“I don’t want to say yet I’m officially retired.”

There are two options that could entice Horn back into the ring. One is a rematch with Tszyu, who will likely require another fight against an Australian opponent before the son of Kostya gets his much-vaunted maiden crack at a world title.

Plan B is Horn’s willingness to reprise the magic of July 2017, when 50,000 fight fans flocked to Suncorp Stadium to watch him pull off a boilover points win over Pacquiao to clinch the world title.

The Tszyu camp is exploring a domestic showdown with Michael Zerafa as a preamble to a world-title fight, but Horn has raised the prospect of a comeback, admitting he feels a sense of unfinished business in boxing.

“If I came back, there are two fights I would want again,” Horn said.

“I would like another shot at Tim Tszyu and I would take that Manny Pacquiao re-match that I keep hearing Filipino fans want to see.

“Fighting Manny or Tim again is a definite possibility in my mind.

“I don’t have any interest in fighting Terence Crawford again, he was a brilliant boxer and a skilful guy and I wouldn’t get into the ring again with a guy of his class.

“The only comeback I can see is to try and avenge that loss against Tszyu.

“What I am saying is if I do come back, that is probably the fight I’m most interested in.”

Ironically, Pacquiao is in talks to fight the unbeaten Crawford (37-0, 28KO), who comfortably disposed of Horn in June 2018.

While the prospect of another Pacquiao-Horn blockbuster is slim to none, “The Hornet’’ insists that he has no fears a return bout with the Filipino icon could potentially shatter the legacy of his Suncorp heroics.

Jeff Horn wants another crack at Tim Tszyu. Picture: Matt Taylorv

“It’s true that I could tarnish my win if I fought Manny again … or I solidify things and shut up all those people who think Manny beat me that day at Suncorp,” Horn said.

“Another fight against Manny would be simply a money fight, that’s the honest truth.

“I beat him the first time and I know I beat him, but a big-money figure would entice me to fight Manny again.”

Horn watched Tszyu’s annihilation of Hogan with interest.

He is adamant that, at his optimum, he can hand Tszyu (18-0, 14KO) the first loss of his professional career.

The million-dollar question is this: can Horn truly match Tszyu’s ruthless hunger?

“I know I can beat Tim,” he said.

“Tim was very impressive against Dennis.

“His confidence is through the roof at the moment. If it wasn’t already there, it’s skyrocketing now, it’s matching his progress in the sport and he can’t be far away from a world-title shot now.

The scenes after Jeff Horn’s win over Manny Pacquiao. Picture: Getty Images

“What kind of irks me is the knowledge I fought like crap against Tim Tszyu. That’s not a criticism of him. He took me to pieces that night and deserved his win.

“I haven’t lost confidence in myself and my abilities.

“If I fought Tim in the state I was in when I won the world title in 2017, I would beat him, but you need hunger and desire when you are competing against a young guy who has taken the world by storm like Tim is.

“Maybe Tim is too good for me because he disposed of Dennis easily the other night, but I know I wasn’t in my best shape for Tim because of some health reasons.

“It sometimes grinds me.

“It frustrates me that my career could end like that.

“So now, my thought process is this – do I want to make amends, or am I happy to retire and let the young gun Tim Tszyu rise and watch him go to stardom?

“I know in my heart I can do things better. But do I have the same hunger as Tim to take on another fight with him?

“That’s what I need to honestly answer with myself.”

TSZYU CAMP GIVE HORN’S PLAN AN UPPERCUT

The Tim Tszyu camp has given Jeff Horn a stinging uppercut by claiming the former world champion is no longer in the same league as the ‘Soul Taker’.

Tszyu’s promoter Matt Rose says Tszyu is unlikely to seek a re-match with Horn, not because he fears him, but rather the damage he could inflict in his relentless quest to win a world title.

“I don’t think we will be going down the Jeff Horn path,” Rose said.

“If you look at how dominant Tim was against Jeff that night in Townsville, you could guess the result of a second fight.

“If Jeff was competitive I would understand the interest in a second fight, but these guys all talk it up, including Dennis Hogan, and look what Tim does to them.

Tim Tszyu crushed Dennis Hogan. Picture: Getty Images

“Jeff Horn has had his time. He was a magnificent fighter at his peak but it’s hard to see what another bout against Tim would achieve.

“Tim has moved on from those sorts of fights. He is looking forward to a world-title shot and taking on the world-calibre fighters.”

Even though he is the WBO No. 1-ranked contender, Tszyu (18-0, 14KO) is being forced to stay patient for his world-title shot.

The champions of his division – US star Jermell Charlo (WBC, WBA, IBF) and Argentine Brian Castano (WBO) – are in talks for a unifying title bout.

Until their score is settled, Tszyu will have to stay active and “Pretty Boy’’ Zerafa is itching for a chance to knock out the son of Kostya.

“To be honest, Zerafa is not our preference,” Rose said.

“Zerafa doesn’t bring a lot to the table, but if Tim had to have one more domestic fight, I guess a fight with Zerafa would bring some sort of hype.’’