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Jeff Horn defeats Manny Pacquiao at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

AUSSIE Jeff Horn stunned the world, overcoming boxing legend Manny Pacquiao in an “unbelievable” upset for the ages.

Adam Santarossa and James Matthey
15 min read
July 3, 2017 - 12:07AM
The champ.
The champ.

Live: Jeff Horn vs Manny Pacquiao

All eyes were on Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium as Jeff Horn defeated Manny Pacquiao to claim the WBO welterweight title.

REMEMBER where you were when Jeff Horn fought Manny Pacquiao.

The world wrote him off, but there’s no mistaking “The Hornet” now.

Jeff Horn is the new WBO welterweight champion, taking the title from the legendary Filipino in an epic bout at Suncorp Stadium.

Horn raced out of the blocks and his early pressure proved too much for Pacquiao. The Australian put the foot on the gas and didn’t let it up.

The new champion used his larger frame to bully Pacquiao in the clinch, often forcing him against the ropes and scoring towards the body.

It was very nearly over in the ninth round when the referee asked the Australian to “show me something in this round or I’m stopping the fight”. It came after Pacquiao piled on the punishment moments earlier in a bruising few minutes where it looked like he was a single shot from defending his title.

The Aussie said he did not understand why the official threatened to call time.

“I was actually more worried about the look on his face,” Horn said after the fight. “I wasn’t actually too bad. I was like, ‘Settle down everyone, I’m fine.’ I had recovered and settled down by that stage.”

A win for the ages.
A win for the ages.

The local hero began to wilt in the latter rounds and the champion looked the more resilient as the fight went to the death.

In the end Horn’s early lead proved enough. The aggression and punishment he dealt in the opening stages was too much of a gap for Pacquiao to close in the stretch.

Cut, bloody and broken, Jeff Horn is champion of the world courtesy of what Danny Green called an “unbelievable” effort in “one of the biggest upsets”.

Horn said he knew from the opening round he could slay the legend that is Pacquiao.

No one gave him a hope going in, but Horn was unfazed on the big stage, seizing the biggest moment of his boxing career

“I thought from the opening bell,” Horn said. “I thought in those opening couple of rounds that I was out-boxing him in the first half of that fight.

“He did catch me a couple of times throughout it but I felt I bounced back straight away.”

One thing saw Horn climb back into the fight and eventually take the title, something he said proved the difference in the end after a devastating 12 rounds of action.

“That’s heart,” Horn said. “Getting through that round. Being able to get hit, to get caught with a shot and continue on.”

2pm

Main event

Welterweight

Jeff Horn (17-0-1) defeated Manny Pacquiao (59-7-2) via unanimous decision (115-113 x 2, 117-111)

Round 12

Jeff Horn, take a bow.
Jeff Horn, take a bow.

Horn came out throwing some big shots at Pacquiao, knowing he needed to win the round to win the fight. Both fighters were out on their feet by the end of the bout.

Horn landed a good shot on Pacquiao but it didn’t rock the champion.

The referee stopped the fight again for some loose tape, handing Horn a breather.

Horn had Pacquiao against the ropes and both men scored some nice shots. Pacquiao just caught Horn as he came forward wildly.

The Australian fired away at the champion, but Pacquiao landed a shot that rocked Horn in his final flurry.

Horn and Pacquiao ended the fight going toe to toe against the ropes.

Round 11

Pacquiao scored well to open the fight and Horn responded by forcing Pacquiao against the ropes and scoring to the body.

Horn wore a big shot to the chin, riding the punch well considering how clean the blow was. The Aussie continued to go forward, but the champion landed the more telling shots.

The referee stopped fight to have some loose tape cut from Horn’s gloves, giving him a nice breather.

A likely round for Pacquiao who now has the lead you would think.

Round 10

Horn showed he was still in the fight, landing a couple of punches before trapping Pacquiao against the ropes and hitting the body.

The power has gone from Horn’s punches as both fighters went toe-to-toe in the middle of the ring, fatigue evident in the pair of them.

Horn wasn’t as aggressive as he had been all fight.

Round nine

Pacquaio roared to life as the fight went deep.
Pacquaio roared to life as the fight went deep.

Horn started the ninth round well, taking the advantage early before Pacquiao unloaded with some devastating blows.

Pacquiao landed a right hand that rocked Horn. The Filipino hurt Horn again with a couple of big shots and the Australian wobbled.

The champion was all over Horn and it was all the local man could do to hang on until the bell.

Horn’s face was covered in blood. The Australian tried to tie up and keep Pacquiao away as he started unloading. The Filipino seemed one shot away from stopping Horn, but the challenger made it to the end of the round, albeit only just.

“Show me something in this round or I’m stopping the fight,” the referee told Horn.

Round eight

The referee called a stoppage after a few seconds, noticing the tape had come loose from the glove of Horn.

Pacquiao landed one of his best blows of the fight but Horn wore it well. The Aussie went down to the canvas but it was ruled a push from Pacquiao.

The Australian seemed to tire as the round wound down, the early intensity taking its toll.

Pacquiao landed a good shot to the body that seemed to rock Horn momentarily. It was the best round of the fight for Pacquiao and one of the clearer rounds of the fight.

Round seven

A brutal assault.
A brutal assault.

This time Pacquiao landed the opening shots in his best start to a round.

The champion caught Horn coming forward with the jab. Again Horn tried to swarm Pacquiao, but it seemed he was happy to fight off the back foot and catch Horn on the approach.

The referee again called time for an accidental head clash in the final 30 seconds of the round. It opened up another cut on the challengers head, but the doctor declared the champion was OK to continue.

Horn responded to the stoppage by swarming Pacquiao and landing some flush shots. But the champion responded to the pressure with some good shots of his own.

Have to give it to Horn.

Round six

Again Horn bullied Pacquiao against the ropes, something he has managed to open the last two rounds with.

A cut opened on Pacquiao head courtesy of an accidental head clash but the doctor gave the title holder the OK to continue.

The cut brought the WBO champion to life, Pacquiao targeting the body well. Horn landed his best punch of the fight in the final 20 seconds, a great right hand catching Pacquiao on the chin and setting him back on his heels.

Pacquiao took the shot well, but Horn is only looking better after six rounds.

“Pacquiao’s getting outworked, he’s getting out-punched, he’s getting outmuscled,” Danny Green said in commentary.

Round five

An epic battle.
An epic battle.

Horn opened the fifth in style, forcing Pacquiao against the ropes and landing some nice shots to the body.

The Australian continued to look the busier fighter, Pacquiao only fighting in flurries.

Pacquiao landed two right hands in succession in the midway point of the round and came to life in the final 30 seconds, catching Horn with a jab as he came forward to score on the challenger.

Pacquiao finished the round with a big shot, rocking Horn just before the bell.

The Filipino might have pinched it with his late flurry. Close round, close fight.

Round four

Horn opened the fourth with a lovely two punch combination on Pacquiao.

Pacquiao fell to the canvas soon after following a clinch, but it was rightly ruled a slip.

Horn again landed a nice two punch combination that landed flush on the chin of Pacquiao. But Pacquiao shook it off.

The Australian had some great moments and is certainly taking the fight to the champion after four rounds. Another close round, but Pacquiao not doing enough — allowing himself to get outworked by Horn.

Round three

Horn didn’t let the cut put him off his game as he continued to pressure Pacquiao.

The Australian landed a solid left hook in the middle stages before Pacquiao responded with a neat right hand of his own.

Horn was warned for pushing Pacquiao in the clinch and Pacquiao landed the most telling moment of the round, landing a big shot flush on the chin of Horn that seemed to wobble the 29-year-old.

The fight is living up to the hype.
The fight is living up to the hype.

Round two

Pacquiao found his range in the second round, Horn unable to find the Filipino as freely as he did in the opening round.

Horn seemed to be getting the best of the physical stakes, using his bigger frame to bully Pacquiao in the clinch and scoring well again to the body.

Pacquiao did land a couple of big shots that shook Horn up.

A close round, but Pacquiao may have taken it on the bell, landing some good shots to end the round.

Horn has a cut over his right eye, replays showed it was due to an accidental head clash.

Round one

Jeff Horn came out throwing the opening shots, scoring well.

The Australia showed no signs of nerves, flying out of the blocks. Horn trapped Pacquiao against the ropes and scored well to the body.

Horn then scored away on the ropes, trapping the Filipino and hitting the body again.

Pacquiao managed to land a punch on his own, seeing the mouthguard of Horn out, forcing a stop to the fight.

Horn takes the first round.

Danny Green was thrilled with the Australian’s opening. “He was all over Pacquiao like a rash,” he said.

12.40pm

Storm erupts over Horn’s ritual

Pacquiao’s camp isn’t happy with the Aussie.
Pacquiao’s camp isn’t happy with the Aussie.

Manny Pacquiao’s camp has landed an early blow on Jeff Horn.

Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach has taken exception to brown porous tape used by the Horn camp to wrap the Australian’s hands.

The brown porous tape is not permitted for use, as it can soak up and harden when sweat or water is applied it.

Main Event commentator Paul Kent explained the issue, saying the Pacquiao camp is well within their rights to step in.

“It’s very important for people who don’t know boxing that the proper wraps are used,” Kent explained.

“It’s quite clear you can’t use brown wraps and the Horn camp have tried to go ahead with that. Freddie Roach is within his rights to say, ‘No, change the wraps.’

But Horn’s trainer Glen Rushton said the drama was just mind games from Pacquiao, to try and unsettle Horn.

“It’s fabric tape, we use it all the time. It doesn’t matter if it’s brown or white, no one has complained about the colour of the tape.

“He had some issue with it, so I agreed to use his white tape to save any dramas.

“He seemed a little rattled, which is surprising for someone of his experience.”

Horn’s brother Ben reportedly laughed at the suggestion of some dogdy tactics, Roach replying with a series of expletives.

Boxing host Ben Damon, who is at Suncorp Stadium, said Roach told him he had “never met such f***ing disrespectful people in boxing. Manny knows about it and they’re going to pay!”

12pm

Fight card

Junior Bantamweight

Jerwin Ancajas (PHL) defeated Teiru Kinoshita (JPN) via TKO (R7)

Teiru Kinoshita was no match for Jerwin Ancajas.
Teiru Kinoshita was no match for Jerwin Ancajas.

Our first world title fight of the afternoon, as two southpaws with similar records went head to head with Jerwin Ancajas defending his IBF title.

The bout started slowly as both fighters looked to pace themselves across the 12 rounds. Ancajas began to take control of the fight at the start of the second, landing some big shots.

Kinoshita had a cut opened up over his left eye and the doctor was called in to check on him in the second round. The doctor was called in again to check at the start of the third round.

Ancajas continued to target the cut and when the Japanese fighter tried to put his hands up higher to protect it, the Filipino landed freely at Kinoshita’s body.

Kinoshita began slipping further behind on the scorecards and tried to fight more aggressively to make amends. But that only played into the hands of the champion.

Ancajas sent Kinoshita to the canvas with a crushing body shot midway through the end of the seventh round. Kinoshita got to his feet but the fight was waived off anyway, the referee ruling his eye had closed over and the Japanese was taking on too much punishment as a result.

Ancajas retained his title by a seventh round TKO.

Featherweight

Michael Conlan (IRE) defeated Jarrett Owen (QLD) via TKO (R3)

Michael Conlan was too strong for Jarrett Owen.
Michael Conlan was too strong for Jarrett Owen.

Olympic star Michael Conlan is making a good fist of things in the professional ranks, claiming his third career win.

He didn’t have mentor Conor McGregor (a UFC legend) to accompany him to the ring this time in Brisbane, but he still left with a highlight.

Owen was willing early, but Conlan was able to pick off the Australian as he came forward.

Conlan got the great result from the bodywork he put in early and looked to have hurt Owen at the end of the second round, the bell saving the Brisbane fighter from any more punishment.

The Irish fighter continued the brutal assault on the body in the third round, and Conlan managed to force the stoppage soon after, the referee waiving off the fight under the weight of pressure.

Some in the US thought the fight was far too one-sided, putting up a man with Conlan’s resume against a small-time fighter in Owen. Noted American sports writer Kevin Iole called it a “disgrace”.

Middleweight

David Toussaint (AUS) defeated Shane Mosley Jr (USA) via split decision (75-77, 77-76 x 2)

David Toussaint (right) defeated Shane Mosley.
David Toussaint (right) defeated Shane Mosley.

Toussaint is an electrician by trade and the Australian came out landing some big shots against his more high profile opponent.

The Aussie was full of energy and his power seemed to surprise Mosley. Toussaint had knocked out eight of his last 10 opponents and he was looking for a similar result in the opening stages.

Mosley opened up a small cut over Toussaint’s left eye in the second round, but that only spurred the local fighter on further.

Toussaint rocked Mosley twice at the end of the second round, seemingly stealing the round away from the American. Mosley came out firing to start the fourth. But his work rate cost him in the end, the harder shots of Toussaint edging a number of close rounds as his opponent looked to tire under the hot Brisbane sun.

His corner tried to motivate him at the end of each round, but the American just could not respond under the pressure of the Australian. As the fight progressed Toussaint continued to land some big power shots. Mosley took the punishment well, but was unable to fire much back.

Mosley did manage to land a big blow which shook Toussaint in the seventh, as he began to get desperate as the fight slipped away. The American had the better of the final two rounds, but he was unable to make up for his slow start.

Toussaint and Mosley traded blows until the bell, capping off an entertaining fight. Mosley’s father took to Twitter to share his thoughts after the fight.

9am

Early fights

Junior welterweight

Brent Dames (AUS) defeated Jonel Dapridran (PHL) on points (58-56 x 2, 59-55)

Bantamweight

Brock Jarvis (AUS) defeated Caem Rasmanudin (IDN) via KO (R1)

Light heavyweight

Damien Hooper (AUS) defeated Umar Salamov (RUS) on points (96-94 x 3)

11am

Pacquiao a certainty to win

Pacquiao is the favourite.
Pacquiao is the favourite.

Australian kickboxer and boxer John Wayne Parr can’t see any way Horn is going to get over the top of Pacquiao.

He says the Filipino’s experience will prove a massive advantage over the local challenger.

“Today is the day Jeff Horn puts Australia on the map when he takes on Manny Pacquiao.

As much as I’d love for Jeff to cause an upset, I really can’t see it happening against one of the greatest fighters of our generation,” Wayne Parr wrote on Instagram.

“I have been very lucky to have fought in front of big crowds in my career of over 100,000 people 4 times. There is nothing on earth that anyone can say to explain it until you feel the experience for yourself walking out to that many people.

“Not only that, but knowing there is close to a billion people going to watch it on TV all across the world. It won’t be until the dressing room that reality will hit that this is really happening.

“The other problem is once you are in the ring, you look across and you see one of your boxing heroes in the other corner. Now there is no more smiles or being polite like the press conference. Now it’s go time and Manny says he wants to make a statement.

“Manny has fought the who’s who of the sport and for him today will be like a hard spar for a massive payday.

“I hope the fight is competitive and Jeff can make me eat my words. But I just don’t believe Jeff is ready at this stage after only 17 pro fights against someone with Manny’s experience.”

10.20am

Horn a ‘no-name, no-threat opponent’

Jeff who?
Jeff who?

The fight is being broadcast live on cable TV in the US but that doesn’t mean Jeff Horn’s about to become a household name in the States anytime soon.

An article on American sports website Deadspin analysing the motivation behind Pacquiao choosing to fight the unheralded Australian illustrates how far Horn has to go to earn widespread respect on the global boxing circuit.

“Horn is undefeated in 17 fights (16-0-1), but he’s fought mediocre competition and you won’t find many serious boxing fans or writers who give him a chance,” Daniel Roberts writes.

“Rodney Dangerfield famously said, ‘If you want to look thin, hang out with fat people.’ And that is, more or less, what you should expect to get tonight: a clearly over-the-hill fighter trying desperately to dig his way out of hock and look fearsome once more taking on a no-name, no-threat opponent who, if nothing else, should make Pacquiao look downright ferocious by comparison.”

This assessment comes on the back of esteemed ESPN boxing writer Dan Rafael also refusing to hype Horn up, labelling him “Jeff Who”.

“Horn’s resume is weak,” Rafael wrote.

“His two most notable wins are the KO of Ali Funeka, who was at his best as a lightweight but lost title fights to Nate Campbell and Joan Guzman nearly a decade ago, and a seventh-round knockout earlier in 2016 against long-faded former junior welterweight and welterweight titleist Randall Bailey.

“(He) has not done anything to warrant his status as Pacquiao’s mandatory challenger.

“The fight is a chance to change his life, win a title and perhaps send Pacquiao into retirement if he can find his ‘Rocky’ moment.”

9.30am

‘It’s breakfast television, Danny!’

Danny Green on Fox Sports.
Danny Green on Fox Sports.

Danny Green left a couple of TV presenters in stitches with some colourful language that may have been more appropriate for 9pm rather than 9am.

The Aussie boxing icon was speaking to journalist Neroli Meadows and former netball star Bianca Chatfield on Fox Sports program Gameday Live about Horn’s backstory when his loose tongue got him into a spot of bother.

“He was apparently bullied at school which affects a lot of kids and it’s a tough thing to deal with,” Green said.

“I reckon those bullies will be going, ‘Holy s*** we used to pick on that kid.’”

“It’s breakfast television, Danny!” Meadows added as she and Chatfield burst out laughing.

“I don’t think Mr Horn will be getting picked on anymore,” Green replied.

Green wasn’t buying into the belief Horn is a massive underdog going into his fight against Pacquiao, but did acknowledge it would be a huge achievement to knock the Filipino legend off his perch.

“He (Horn) has got a 50 per cent chance of winning because there’s two people in the ring,” Green said. “He can cause an upset and if he does it’ll be a whopping day for him, his family and the sport of boxing in Australia. It will just be huge.”

9am

Horn camp’s KO warning

Let’s get ready to rumble.
Let’s get ready to rumble.

Jeff Horn will be ready to adapt to whatever happens in Sunday’s Battle of Brisbane, trainer Glenn Rushton says.

A crowd of more than 50,000 will be on hand for the unbeaten Australian’s title shot against Manny Pacquiao for the WBO welterweight crown.

Pacquiao is the hot favourite but Horn’s camp is confident he can produce an upset over the Filipino legend, who is out to prove he is still at the peak of his powers at 38.

Horn may not be as quick as Pacquiao but he is bigger, younger and, according to Rushton, perfectly prepared for whatever sort of fight comes his way. “We’ll work the entire target area. If people think he’s just going to throw the right hand and try to land like Jessie (Vargas) did, ain’t gonna happen,” Rushton said.

“Jeff can KO with any punch. We don’t need a KO but we want it.

“We can work head, we can work body, long range, close range, mid range.

“He’s a very all-round fighter. We’re not a one-trick pony.”

— AAP

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