Jeff Horn v Terence Crawford: Jeff Horn planning to knock out ‘bully’ Terence Crawford then go on family holiday to Canada
JEFF Horn will leave Las Vegas next week bound for a three-week family holiday in Canada, hoping he has sent his ferocious American challenger Terence Crawford into dreamland.
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JEFF Horn will leave Las Vegas next week bound for a three-week family holiday in Canada, hoping he has sent his ferocious American challenger Terence Crawford into dreamland.
The ultimate family man, Horn has booked a trip to Vancouver and then across the Rocky Mountains travelling with wife Jo, their five-month-old daughter Isabelle, Horn’s mother Liza and his wife’s parents.
But he knows he has a lot of work to do before taking his vacation and spending a chunk of the $2.5 million purse he will collect for defending his title against Crawford at the MGM Grand Hotel.
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With one week until fight time, Horn’s trainer Glenn Rushton will on Sunday start the final phase of the mental preparation needed for Horn to score a huge upset over the highly fancied challenger, who is unbeaten in 32 pro fights and has knocked out six of his past seven opponents, including Olympic gold medallist Felix Diaz.
Jeff Horn v Terence Crawford Pay Per View will be broadcast on Foxtel Channel 507. To order the Pay Per View go to www.mainevent.com.au
Rushton will tell Horn again and again that Crawford is just another American boxing bully, a man who can dish it out but will have trouble coping with the power Horn has developed under the guidance of Rushton and strength and conditioning guru Dundee Kim.
“All week I will be telling Jeff he has to go for the jugular,’’ said Rushton, who has Horn primed to blast from his corner at the opening bell.
“I believe that when Jeff starts to land the heavy shots, Terence Crawford will crumble. He will fall and lose for the first time as a professional.
“We’ve seen these big talking Americans fall apart before when the pressure’s on.
“Zab Judah was another slick trash-talking American who couldn’t handle the Aussie power when Kostya Tszyu put one on his chin.
“Even a great fighter like Mike Tyson was exposed when Evander Holyfield showed no fear against him.
“The best way to beat a bully is to bully him back, and Crawford will be facing a Jeff Horn who is a 20 per cent better fighter than the one who beat Manny Pacquiao last year to win the title.’’
Horn went through 19 rounds of hard training in the stifling heat of the Top Rank gym in Las Vegas on Saturday, and will likely do more on Sunday and Monday before tapering back over the final days leading into Sunday’s showdown.
On Thursday, The Sunday Mail accompanied Horn, Jo and Liza on a helicopter ride from Las Vegas to the majestic Grand Canyon.
While Horn walks around almost anonymously with Jo in Vegas, pushing Isabelle in her stroller or taking turns changing nappies, he was recognised instantly by the Filipino-born helicopter pilot Rich Pagsuyoin, who had watched the telecast of Horn ripping the world title from Pacquiao at Suncorp Stadium last year.
The pilot said Horn was the best boxer he’d ever had on his $3 million chopper – and he’s had Floyd Mayweather on board three times.
“I know beating Crawford is my big chance to win over the American fans,’’ Horn said.
“I really want to put on a show. I know Crawford is often cautious in the early rounds and I plan to jump on him at the opening bell and take the fight away from him with non-stop pressure.
“Crawford is a dangerous guy. His timing and his distance are great, and he has an uppercut that’s dynamite. But Glenn Rushton and I have a 12-point plan to take him apart.
“This is my chance to be king of the world, and I won’t let Australia down.’’
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Originally published as Jeff Horn v Terence Crawford: Jeff Horn planning to knock out ‘bully’ Terence Crawford then go on family holiday to Canada