Jeff Horn v Terence Crawford: Promoter Dean Lonergan calls unbeaten American ‘a pussycat’

JEFF Horn’s furious promoter Dean Lonergan says unbeaten American Terence Crawford ‘might be the best fighter in the world but he’s not exactly the toughest’.

Promoter Dean Lonergan and WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn. Picture: AAP

JEFF Horn’s promoter has slammed unbeaten American Terence Crawford for postponing their April 14 fight in Las Vegas because of a hand injury and labelled him a “pussycat”.

A furious Dean Lonergan told The Daily Telegraph Horn would have fought on with the same injury rather than call for the six-week delay.

“Terence Crawford might be the best fighter in the world but he’s not exactly the toughest,” Lonergan said, “If Jeff had a hand injury he’d get a cortisone and get on with the fight.

“Seriously, he needs to harden up and stop being a pussy cat.”

An unhappy promoter Dean Lonergan and his fighter Jeff Horn today. Picture: AAP

Horn was injured in the build-up to his last fight against Englishman Gary Corcoran in Brisbane but continued his preparation.

“If Crawford’s pulled out with a hand injury he’s a lot softer than Jeff,” Lonergan said,

“Jeff had eight stitches in his face. He missed 36 rounds of sparring — but still fought. That’s what the tough boxers do. It’s part of the game.”

Lonergan revealed he had heard rumours Corcoran delayed the fight because he was underdone.

That he had not recovered from a long Xmas-New Year break.

Harsh words for American champion Terence Crawford. Picture: Getty Images

“There’s a couple of things here,” Lonergan said, “He’s obviously concerned about how good Jeff is.

“He knows how tough he is. How he beat Manny Pacquiao.

“Maybe the postponement is a ploy because there’s rumours he’s underdone a month out from the fight.”

Lonergan has also criticised Crawford’s lack of promotion for the fight,

“Pound for pound he’s the worst promoter in the world,” Lonergan said, “He won’t talk to the media. They just go to ground. You’ve got to talk and put yourself out there. That’s half of boxing. To talk it up. “

Jeff Horn is ‘monstering people’ says his trainer. Picture: Getty Images

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum insists Crawford needs a two-week break to fix the injury.

“He has to rest it for a couple of weeks,” he said, “So we’ll probably do it sometime in May or maybe the first weekend in June.”

Horn’s trainer Glen Rushton added to the criticism of a fighter regarded among the best in the world.

“We’re very, very disappointed,” he said, “Jeff is flying, he’s been monstering people, he’s looking great. A slight hand injury, I wouldn’t see the need to postpone the fight. I think that Terence needs to harden up a little bit.

“We just think a slight hand injury ... put some cortisone in it. Let’s get it on. It’s very frustrating and disappointing. We get these injuries virtually every day in training.”

Originally published as Jeff Horn v Terence Crawford: Promoter Dean Lonergan calls unbeaten American ‘a pussycat’