Jeff Horn concedes his glorious career is almost certainly over after defeat to Tim Tszyu
Three years after his life-changing defeat of Manny Pacquiao, Jeff Horn will spend the coming days and weeks considering retirement in the wake of his comprehensive loss to Tim Tszyu, This is how a night that promised so much turned career ending.
Jeff Horn concedes his glorious career is almost certainly over.
Three years after his life-changing defeat of Manny Pacquiao, Horn revealed he will spend the coming days and weeks considering retirement in the wake of his comprehensive loss to Tim Tszyu in Townsville.
Horn entered the bout declaring he was in better shape than when he conquered Pacquiao but in the fight game, champions can grow old overnight and the 32-year-old admits the younger Tszyu showed him age can weary even the best.
Horn has nothing left to prove in the sport. His Pacquiao boilover delivered a world title and generated millions of dollars that have set him and wife Jo up for life.
Now, with two young daughters to consider amid concerns for his long-term welfare, the former Brisbane school teacher's honest words suggested the sting had gone out of The Hornet.
"I probably don't have the hunger of Tim Tszyu," he said.
"I've been there, done the world title, I was just fighting for the big fights.
"The mountain was too big for me (against Tszyu). I told him he can go all the way. He has the ability. All the best to Tim in his career."
As for his own career, Horn said: "I've got to go home, evaluate things and talk to the family.
"You never know, time will tell.
"I'll go home and talk to Jo but I know what she's going to say.
"In the end, I have to ask if I have more in the tank or is that it?"
In the minutes after the defeat, just Horn's third loss from 24 fights, his father, Jeff senior, believed his son's fairytale career was over and trainer Glenn Rushton said he would not oppose a retirement call.
"Jeff has done wonders for boxing in Australia. He's done it all," he said.
"It wasn't a great night. If Jeff wanted to hang up his gloves, I wouldn't have any issues.
"I think of him like a son, his health is the most important thing to me always.
"He's done the best he could against a young, hungry talented lion.
"Jeff has to sit down with his family, he's done amazing things in his boxing career. You have to question if the hunger is there. His life has changed; he has two beautiful daughters and a lovely wife.
"I'd encourage him not to make a quick decision but I'll support him 100 per cent in whatever he does."
Horn looked surprisingly sluggish from the outset and admitted he was stunned by Tszyu's power and precision.
"He made me look silly out there," he said.
"It was a surprise how good he was. I was slightly off on my attacks but that was down to him as well.
"My corner was telling me I wasn't winning the rounds. I was trying to change it up but he was either forward at me or going back. He was very good.
"I'm never going to throw in the towel, never going to say I've had enough, so it was more of a relief than anything that the referee was saying he'd seen enough."
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HOW THE FIGHT WAS WON
Punching with energy and hunger, Tim Tszyu was in total control from the outset and won every round, putting Jeff Horn down in the third and sixth before the referee pulled the pin at the end of the eighth.
It was a magnificent pugilistic performance by the son of Kostya.
Bookmakers controversially installed Tszyu as the $1.55 favourite but their assessment was vindicated as Tszyu dominated The Hornet with the power-punching and precision that made his Russian father a boxing icon.
Horn declared he was in better shape than when he conquered Pacquiao but there was none of the heart and warrior spirit that defined his Suncorp triumph as Tszyu kept his unbeaten record intact.
Tszyu is determined to win a world title - and this performance showed he can scale the apex of boxing.
"My name is Tim, not the son (of Kostya)," he said.
"Jeff has achieved so much, I respect him, he is a tough competitor, but this is a young man's sport.
"I'm not here to sink, I'm here to swim."
There were concerns about Tszyu's ability to handle the high-octane pressure of a stadium fight but the Sydney slugger looked comfortable as he relished the big stage.
Horn only knows one way to fight - awkwardly and aggressively - and he wasted no time trying to intimidate his younger and more inexperienced combatant.
Tszyu refused to take a backward step in the second round and landed some clean shots, while Horn was thrown off balance several times making clumsy lunges in a bid to rock his rival with a big shot.
Tszyu took control of the fight in the third round. He hurt Horn with some clean punches and while the Queenslander slipped twice, a genuine shot on the inside sent him to the canvas in the closing seconds.
Suddenly, there was blood in the water. Horn looked tired and sluggish. Tszyu looked lean and mean, inflicting pain with every well-executed punch.
This was a major step up in class for Tszyu.
They say styles make fights and the neat, technical style of Tszyu troubled the bullocking approach of Horn, who hailed his rival's coming of age.
"Tim gave me some good body shots, well done to him," Horn said.
"I have been there and done that, but he is hungry and he has that champion spirit in him."
MORE BOXING
Tim Tszyu the new king of Australian boxing king after destroying Jeff Horn
In the lead-up the bout, Tszyu sought the counsel of his legendary father Kostya, who gave his starry-eyed son some simple instructions, urging him to avoid getting into the gutter with Horn and boxing with more intellect.
He followed the fight plan to the letter. For Horn, a sublime career is almost certainly on the canvas.
Originally published as Jeff Horn concedes his glorious career is almost certainly over after defeat to Tim Tszyu