Jeff Horn vs Michael Zerafa: Everything you need to know about the Battle of Bendigo

Jeff Horn would like to silence the critics once and for all and he’s keen to use Michael Zerafa as a stepping stone to do so.

Michael Zerafa and Jeff Horn pose ahead of their title fight.

Jeff Horn is out to prove the critics who say his win over Manny Pacquiao was a fluke wrong and they include his next opponent Michael Zerafa.

Some naysayers refuse to accept Horn’s points win over Filipino superstar Pacquiao for the WBO welterweight title in Brisbane in July 2017, even though a subsequent independent review of the scoring confirmed the result.

“A lot of people talk down my achievements, Michael (Zerafa) did it earlier in this campaign, saying who I beat and that they weren’t very good, it is frustrating,” Horn said.

“Every day on Facebook you get that online bullying of people saying that you’ve done nothing, you’ve fought no one, you didn’t win that fight (against Pacquiao) anyway.

Join us for live coverage of the Battle of Bendigo.

“There’s so many things spoken about, but if I’ve got to convert one person at a time or a few people at a time that’s what I’m going to do, and I guess the next step for me to prove to someone, is Michael.”

Michael Zerafa is looking ripped for the fight.

The criticism suggesting Horn beat a fading Pacquiao has been discredited by the Filipino’s recent results. Since losing to Horn, Pacquiao has won three successive fights, last month taking the WBA Super World Welter Title off the previously unbeaten Keith Thurman.

“Manny Pacquiao just fought Keith Thurman, one of the best fighters in the world, and totally dominated him,” three-division world champion Jeff Fenech said in Bendigo.

“Has anyone ever seen Manny Pacquiao after a fight look like he did against Jeff Horn?

“I’ve never seen him look like that and that’s why (Pacquiao) will never fight you (Horn) again.

“Your style was something that he was not used to, his team underestimated you and you did an amazing job.

“I’ve seen that stuff on Facebook too, but just ignore it and just tell Manny to come and fight (you) again which he never will.

“Offer him all the money in the world, he will never be back, he doesn’t need to take that punishment.

“For Manny to have done what he is doing in his last couple of fights makes it even more amazing what you’ve done, so I take my hat off to you mate.”

WHEN IS THE FIGHT AND HOW CAN I WATCH?

The Battle of Bendigo will be broadcast live on Foxtel’s Main Event channel with the undercard to get started at 7pm (AEST). However, Horn and Zerafa won’t step into the ring for at least a couple of hours after that.

WHAT’S ON THE LINE?

Horn and Zerafa are fighting for the WBA Oceania middleweight belt.

TAB ODDS

Jeff Horn vs Michael Zerafa winner

$1.14 Jeff Horn

$5.50 Michael Zerafa

Method of result

$2.30 Jeff Horn to win by points

$2.10 Jeff Horn to win by KO/TKO/DQ

$11 Michael Zerafa to win by points

$7 Michael Zerafa to win by KO/TKO/DQ

$17 Draw

Fight goes distance

$2 Goes distance: Yes

$1.75 Goes distance: No

UNDERCARD

Brock Jarvis vs Ernesto Saulong for the vacant WBA Oceania Super Bantamweight title

Shannon O’Connell vs Bianca Elmir (super bantamweight)

Joseph Goodall vs Christian Ndzie Tsoye (heavyweight)

Issac Hardman vs Mitchell Whitelaw (light heavyweight)

Andrew Hunt vs Ankush Hooda (super welterweight)

— with AAP

Originally published as Jeff Horn vs Michael Zerafa: Everything you need to know about the Battle of Bendigo