Jeff Horn faces career crossroads with Michael Zerafa rematch
Barely two years after Jeff Horn pulled off one of the greatest upsets in boxing history, his career has reached a crossroads.
Crunch time for Jeff Horn. Barely two years after Horn bullied Manny Pacquiao on the way to one of the greatest upsets in boxing history, his career has reached a crossroads.
A second defeat to Michael Zerafa may not spell the end but it probably should if this fight plays out like the last. It’s a long, slow climb back to the top should Horn be battered into submission, as he was in Bendigo in August when he was stopped in the ninth round.
The 31-year-old Queenslander has responded to that brutal defeat by looking in the mirror, albeit after some candid prodding from his promoter, Dean Lonergan, and trainer Glenn Rushton.
He has dramatically altered his diet and doubled his workload. He says he has regained his hunger but only time will tell as he prepares to hit the ring at the Brisbane Exhibition and Convention Centre on Wednesday night again as a middleweight, having tried and failed to get Zerafa to drop to super welterweight.
Zerafa stood his ground on that occasion and he stepped it up a notch during an incendiary press conference in Brisbane on Monday as he and his trainer, Blake Caparello, took aim at Horn and Rushton.
Rushton was in the eye of a storm following the last fight amid claims that he should have thrown in the towel earlier. It took the screams of Horn’s family before Rushton and others intervened, as Horn suffered his second savage defeat in his past three fights — the losses to Terence Crawford and Zerafa book-ending an embarrassing blink-and-you-missed it win over an ageing Anthony Mundine.
Rushton insists the result won’t dictate Horn’s future but another loss like the last one may convince him and his young family that the time has come.
“The pressure is on Jeff Horn,” Caparello said. “The pressure is going to be on Glenn to make sure he is not going to take too much punishment. The family will be pressuring Glenn.
“Who is going to throw the towel when there is a few shots landed? Jeff will not quit. We all understand that. There is no pressure on our team. Put the ring anywhere in the world and we will beat Jeff Horn 10 times out of 10.”
Rushton, who has been by Horn’s side for a decade, took umbrage at the criticism.
“I am always there for Jeff,” he said. “I think of Jeff Horn like a son and I know in 20 years’ time we will still be the best of mates. I don’t believe it is the end of Jeff’s career — win, lose or draw.
“I think (the last fight) is the wake-up call Jeff needed. I think he was taking things a bit easy. I think we have awoken the giant within. We have seen it in his training. Michael Zerafa trained like a maniac for that first fight. You can’t go much further than that. I think this time Jeff is going to be much, much different.
“There is going to be a quantum difference. Jeff has the mongrel back. It is 40 degrees out there today. Welcome to hell. You think this is hot. It is going to get a lot hotter on Wednesday night.
“Come along, you are going to see a completely different Jeff Horn on Wednesday night. You are going to see a beast. Pretty boy and the beast, let’s call it that.”
Thereafter, the camps exchanged abuse as Horn sat silently to the side watching on.
“I am hearing the same thing all over again,” Zerafa said.
“Boxing IQ, he doesn’t have what I have. I am a middleweight. I have reach, speed and power. Everything is in my favour. I want to end Jeff Horn’s career. He is not at my level. When I hear this kind of talk, it is funny. I have to win.”
Zerafa then lobbed another grenade at Rushton, questioning his training credentials. Rushton bit back. And so it went on. Zerafa letting fly and Rushton responding.
“He made a stupid decision last (time),” Zerafa said. “I think he always makes stupid decisions. Jeff is a warrior. His team, I don’t really understand him.
“I am going to hit Jeff that hard, you (Rushton) are going to feel it. I am going to knock him out. I am going to knock him out.
“That is it. I am going to knock you and your team out. That is it. You are not a middleweight. You don’t have my power. I am ending your f..king career, that is it.”
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