Jeff Horn stopped by Michael Zerafa in Bendigo
Michael Zerafa destroys Jeff Horn’s world title dream with brutal 9th round KO in Bendigo.
Michael Zerafa produced one of the biggest upsets in Australian boxing history tonight when he knocked out Jeff Horn in the ninth round of their fight at Bendigo Stadium.
Zerafa dropped Horn with a right hand early in the second round and then finished the former world champion with a series of heavy shots with less than 60 seconds remaining in the penultimate round.
Horn’s family rushed into the ring as Horn slumped to the canvas and there must now be serious concerns over his future given the nature of the defeat and the way his trainer Glenn Rushton has promised to get his charge out of the sport while he still has his health.
The defeat was a costly one for Horn. He had the promise of a seven-figure title fight with Japanese champion Ryota Murata had he prevailed against Zerafa.
Instead, he must chart a new course, be it as a fighter or in retirement. Horn had entered the ring as a short-priced favourite but any thought of Horn having an easy night was dispelled 30 seconds into the second round when he was dropped by a chopping right hand.
Horn quickly regained his composure but Zerafa was making him miss and occasionally making him pay. Horn finally found his range in the third round as he responded with a powerful left hand that shook Zerafa.
Zerafa ended up on the canvas but it was deemed a slip by referee Ferlin Marsh. With Horn on the attack, the pair clashed heads and Horn had a cut opened up above his left eye.
Marsh stopped proceedings to let the ringside doctor check the cut and the fight was allowed to continue. It was Zerafa’s turn to land a vicious shot in the fourth round that shook Horn but the former champion responded with some heavy blows of his own.
Zerafa finished the fourth round on top as the fight descended into a war, both fighters trading blows. Horn’s corner managed to stem the bleeding from his left eye but they couldn’t halt Zerafa’s punches as the Victorian backed his pre-fight words with actions.
He landed more heavy shots in the seventh round and began taunting Horn in the eighth round after the Queenslander missed with a right hand.
Zerafa was bouncing on his feet and his confidence continued to grow as he landed a series of punches on Horn’s jaw in the ninth round. Horn appeared to have no answers and he was made to pay when he was dropped to the canvas by a series of devastating blows.
Horn rose to his feet but another succession of punches finished him.
“I am still in shock,” Zerafa said after the fight.
“I knew 10 weeks ago — I knew coming into this fight that I could beat Jeff Horn.”
Fighting as a middleweight for the first time in his career, Horn said: “I am fine. I am just a bit shattered. It is not fun losing. I will bounce back.
“I just felt like crap going into it. I just felt a little bit off. I don’t know if it was something I ate but I didn’t feel right. Well done to Michael.”
Asked if he had thought about giving boxing away, Horn said: “I have to reassess. I knew if it was going to be a tough ask. He definitely proved it.”
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