Michael Zerafa’s trainer Sam Labruna plots Jeff Horn demise by text

Michael Zerafa has a plan to take down Jeff Horn for a second time, but on the night of the fight his trainer won’t be in his corner, he’ll be sending instructions by text message.

• Zerafa says Horn’s fitness won’t cover lack of defence
• Horn’s dad fights for boxing safety

Having devised a secret plan to destroy Jeff Horn next week, Melbourne fight trainer Sam Labruna will now use text messages to have his fiery hitman Michael Zerafa carry out the grisly scheme.

Labruna’s masterplan brought Horn toppling down to a savage defeat in Bendigo on August 31 and he is tipping Zerafa will be even more ruthless at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on Wednesday night.

While Labruna was visible and vocal in Zerafa’s corner at Bendigo, he will guide his middleweight’s corner team by text messages from 1700km away for the rematch.

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Michael Zerafa celebrates the win against Jeff Horn at the Bendigo Stadium on August 31. (AAP Image/Michael Dodge)

He says he won’t fly because of tinnitus, a ringing in the ears, and that he always uses text messages to advise his cornermen for fights interstate or overseas.

``I only got the tinnitus a couple of years ago and it knocked me around a bit. I don’t want to play around with my health and it’s too far to drive,’’ Labruna says.

Instead Zerafa will have Blake Caparello, the world’s No. 3 rankled light-heavyweight, giving him instructions along with Ryan Mitchem, a boxer and mixed martial arts fighter from the Labruna stable.

Michael Zerafa with his trainer Sam Labruna in the gym. Picture: Ian Currie

``Blake is obviously with me the whole camp,’’ Labruna said. ``He’s at all the sparring sessions and knows the game-plan back the front.’’

Labruna has continued his mind games against the Horn camp, saying that the biggest difference in the fight will be ``size’’.

Zerafa's cornerman Blake Caparello.

He says he can’t believe that after the first loss Horn would take a rematch.

``Jeff’s not a middleweight, he’s a (smaller) welterweight and his team are putting him back in again after the beating he took,’’ Labruna said.

``It wasn’t a close fight. He was dropped twice and hurt.

``Why would they throw him in again and not go a different route?’’

Labruna has even invited Horn to come to his Melbourne gym, after next week’s fight, to learn defensive boxing.