‘I’m not desperate’: Mundine says fighting Jeff Horn would be like punching his ‘brother’
ANTHONY Mundine has made rich men out of many Australian boxers, and insists he can do the same for the Fighting Schoolteacher Jeff Horn — but he has some reservations.
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ANTHONY Mundine says fighting Jeff Horn would feel like he was punching his “brother”.
In a remarkably complimentary interview, Mundine praised Horn’s character and declared he’d made Australia proud after his ninth-round defeat to American star Terence Crawford in Las Vegas last weekend.
Mundine is now eyeing a showdown against Horn later this year, but unlike previous boxing rivals, Horn received some unexpected praise from The Man.
“I’m not desperate for the fight with him, I’d like to challenge myself and show people what I’ve still got left,” Mundine told the Daily Telegraph.
“He went over there and fought one of the best in the world pound-for-pound in Crawford, he did himself proud, did his country proud, his family proud.
“He just got outclassed, Crawford was too skilful.
“I’ve got nothing but the utmost respect for Jeff, I’ve met him a few times, he’s actually a very genuine, pious, humble dude that nobody can dislike.
“If the fight does happen, it’s going to be hard to get up for this guy man, it’d be a bit like hitting a brother.”
WATCH: Anthony Mundine discusses a possible fight with fellow Aussie Jeff Horn and what it would mean to him
Horn is set to earn more than $2 million for a showdown with Mundine, although his camp is also weighing up bouts with Adrien Broner, Jessie Vargas, or a potential rematch against Manny Pacquiao.
Mundine and Horn met before the former WBO welterweight champion flew to Vegas.
“I genuinely like Jeff Horn, he’s a very sincere, caring, loving, family man,’ Mundine said.
“If you saw a dictionary and you saw Mr Nice Guy, his face would be next to it, he’s that type of guy.
“I want to help this kid. I’ve made a lot of Australian fighters in the past a lot of money, some fighters are millionaires just because I’ve fought them.
“There’s no better guy that I would like to help. Everyone else, I’ve had animosity with, didn’t see eye-to-eye, didn’t like them; Danny Green, Sam Soliman, Daniel Geale.
“But I truly like this man.”
However, Mundine was far from pleased by comments from Horn’s promoter Dean Lonergan, who said a Horn-Mundine fight appealed to him “like 10 cups of warm sick”.
“It’s appalling, after all I’ve achieved in boxing; three-time world champ, the biggest name in the sport for over two decades, the highest pay-per-view guy, the list goes on,” Mundine said.
“For them to try to belittle me the way their promotional team did is amateurish and stupid on their behalf.
“I’ve got nothing but respect for Jeff, [trainer Glenn] Rushton has been a straight up guy with me since we’ve met, I’m sure his dad’s got his best interests at heart as well, but they really have to look at their promotional team and how they’re treating this predicament.
“I don’t need the money, I’m set up, I own five houses, I own three boarding houses, so I’ve put myself in a place where I could not box if I don’t want to.
“But I’m an athlete, a competitor, it’s in my heart. I know I can beat Jeff Horn.
“The way Crawford beat him was with the skill, I’ve got the same skill, but I’m bigger, I’m stronger, I’m faster.
“I’m not your average 43-year-old, there’s athletes and then there’s the extraordinary.
“A lot of people don’t think I can do it, but I’m about making the impossible possible.”