Kieza: Why Jeff Horn is the most extraordinary athlete I’ve met
Jeff Horn’s career in the ring has been remarkable and while he keeps competing, we should all savour his inspiring sportsmanship and courage, writes GRANTLEE KIEZA.
Boxing/MMA
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Jeff Horn was cuddling his two-year-old daughter Isabelle at the weigh-in for Wednesday night’s fight when brooding Michael Zerafa arrived, the man in black, all malevolence, bad intentions, tattoos and a stare that could unsettle Satan.
Zerafa had threatened to end Horn’s career and in the lead-up to their fight belittled the mild-mannered former world champ’s abilities and the competence of the team around him.
Having given Horn the worst beating of his life in Bendigo four months earlier he was the hot favourite to hand out another hiding in what would likely be Horn’s last fight.
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Zerafa’s eyes tried to bore a hole through Horn’s skull just as his fists would draw blood the following night.
But Jeff Horn is a remarkable character, the most extraordinary athlete I’ve met in 40 years covering sport around the world.
Although his career was on the line, although he had millions of dollars riding on the outcome and although Zerafa had the ability to seriously hurt Horn when the fight began, Brisbane’s hometown hero merely looked back at his tormentor with the innocence of a sacrificial lamb and gave him a good natured wink.
No matter what sort of provocation Zerafa tried he couldn’t rattle his target.
The Courier-Mail first profiled Horn six years ago when he was a part-time relief teacher whose toughest battles were with a group of boisterous nine-year-olds at Pallara State School, in the city’s south-west.
Ever since, Horn has taken Courier-Mail readers on an emotional thrill-ride, his fights resembling a highlight reel from the Rocky movies. And he has done it with charm, humility, courage and a down to earth nature inspired by his late grandfather who started his working life as a Winton shearer.
Two years ago the boxer who began boxing as a bullied schoolboy learning self-defence upset the odds by beating all-time great Manny Pacquiao before more than 51,000 fans at Suncorp Stadium in one of the great days of Australian sport.
The power of hope and the unwavering belief in his own inner-strength saw Horn emerge triumphant even after the shellacking Pacquiao gave him in the horrific ninth round.
Horn lost the world title in Las Vegas against American Terence Crawford in the ninth round and in August was stopped by Zerafa in Bendigo, again in the ninth.
When Round 9 arrived on Wednesday night at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Zerafa seized on Horn’s “voodoo round’’ and went after him like a madman.
Soon Horn was all target; bloodied battered and on his last legs.
But sensing the end of his career was nigh, Horn searched deep within his immeasurable resolve and produced two cracking right hands that changed the fight.
He eventually won a points decision.
Horn has a lovely wife and two adorable daughters and his family hopes he retires soon.
But while he keeps competing we should all savour his inspiring sportsmanship and courage.
With his face looking like it had been battered with a shovel and having come within a few seconds of his career being ruined, Horn gave all the praise in the world to an opponent who had insulted him for months and who had then tried his hardest to destroy him.
“Michael said a lot of hurtful things about me,’’ Horn said. “He said that I was a rubbish fighter and that I’d done nothing in my career.
“It hurt. But he was just stressed and frustrated and people say the wrong thing when they’re like that.
“Anyway he gave me a great fight and he is a real warrior and I wish him all the success in the world. I hope everyone watching enjoyed the fight.
“Merry Christmas everyone.’’
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