Pacquiao v Horn: fight guide
Here is everything you need to know ahead of one of the biggest sporting events to ever take place in Australia.
In one corner, you have the 11-time world champion and a legend of the ring. In the other, a former Australian schoolteacher barely known outside Australia. But yet ...
• Pacquiao v Horn: follow live coverage plus full undercard here
Manny Pacquiao and Jeff Horn will meet in the Battle of Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, the most eagerly-anticipated fight ever to take place in Australia with the WBO World Welterweight Title. Here is everything you need to know about one of the biggest Australian sporting events to ever take place, including start times, undercard, analysis and how to follow the fight live.
Has Horn got a chance?
The bookmakers say no. Pacquiao is a $1.20 chance, Horn rated at $1.20. At 38, southpaw Pacquiao is one of the fastest fighters in the world with both feet and hands, and that speed allows the World Boxing Organisation welterweight champion to batter opponents from unorthodox angles.
Pacquiao, with a record of 59-6-2, 38 knockouts, is the overwhelming favourite but has not stopped an opponent since his 12th round TKO of Miguel Cotto in 2009. He has only fought twice since losing his superfight with Floyd Mayweather Jr in May 2015, beating Timothy Bradley Jr and Jessie Vargas. His trainer Freddie Roach has already declared the fight will be a stroll in the park for the 11-time world champion.
Horn is undefeated, but victory would be one of the great boxing upsets. The gulf is huge — Pacquiao has fought 67 times in a stellar career which has garnered him 11 titles across eight weight divisions. Horn is 17 fights into his career. Yet if there is hope for Horn it comes in the form of Pacquiao’s devastating knockout loss to Juan Manual Marquez five years ago in Las Vegas and that big overhand right. His past three stoppages have been among his more impressive — a sixth-round knockout of Ali Funeka, a ninth round defeat of German Rico Mueller and a seventh round stoppage of Randall Bailey after picking himself up off the canvas.
Is it true Horn used to be a teacher?
He IS a teacher. He does relief teaching at high schools across southeast Queensland, although that will almost certainly change should he upset the odds on Sunday. His story is amazing. In 2006, trainer Glenn Rushton found him pounding the bags and told him “I see you fighting at Suncorp Stadium in front of 50,000 people”. You can read more about Horn’s remarkable career in Trent Dalton’s feature here.
What time does it start?
The main event won’t start any time before 1.30pm, but we would advise you to catch a stunning undercard, with pay-per-view coverage getting under way from 11am.
Why a Sunday afternoon?
For the American audience, which will be huge. The fight will be televised live into 90 million homes in America as part of a deal between boxing legend and Top Rank promoter Bob Arum and ESPN. It is Pacquio’s ESPN deal and his massive American following will be tuning in, but for Horn it is the chance to make a global name for himself.
What about the undercard?
There are some absolute crackers lined up. But, of course, this being boxing they are all subject to change.
Pacquiao’s countryman Jerwin Ancajas will take on Japan’s Teiru Kinoshita in the main supporting bout for the IBF World Junior Bantamweight Title. Champion Ancajas (26-1-1) is fighting to impress American TV bosses but this will be his toughest test so far — Teiru Kinoshita (25-1-1) is rated but has never fought out of Japan before, losing his only previous crack ata world title to Zolani Tete in 2014.
Australian interest is provided in the form of Damien Hooper, who will take on undefeated 22-year-old Russian Umar Salamov, who has 14KOs from 19 fights. Hooper’s career stuttered with a 2014 defeat to Rob Powdrill and he faces an uphill task against one of the rising stars in the sport.
There are two other interesting fights to kee an eye on. Northern Irish featherweight Michael Conlan is rated as one of the big stars of the future and will fight for the third time professionally against Queenslander Jarrett Owen. You may recognise the name — he is good friends with UFC superstar and future Floyd Mayweather Jr opponent Conor McGregor. He also claimed notoriety when he was controversially beaten in the Rio Olympics, gave the judges the finger and then told Irish broadcaster RTE: “AIBA [Amateur International Boxing Association] cheats, f**king cheats. That’s me, I’ll never box for AIBA again, they’re cheating bastards I don’t give a f**k for cursing on TV. That’s the end of my olympic gold.”
Shane Mosley Jr is also fighting, the sone, of course, of the legendary ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley, the four-time world champ. Mosley Jr is slowly rebuilding his career after defeat in just his third fight and is now 10-1, seven by KO. He takes on undefeated David Toussaint of Canberra (10-0), who beat countryman Junior Talipeau last time out. It’s fair to say former electrician Toussaint wasn’t expecting this chance — up to now he has almost exclusively fought at the Woden Hellenic Club in Canberra.
Undercard
Jerwin Ancajas (PHILIPPINES) vs Teiru Kinoshita (JAPAN) IBF World Junior Bantamweight
Michael Conlan (IRELAND) vs Jarrett Owen (QLD, AUS) Featherweight
Shane Mosely Jr (USA) vs David Toussaint (ACT, AUS) Middleweight
Umar Salamov (RUS) vs Damien Hooper (Qld, AUS) Light Heavyweight
Jonel Dapidran ((PHILIPPINES) vs Brent Dames (VIC, AUS) Super Lightweight
OK, sold, how do I follow the action?
We will have all the build-up, plus live coverage of the undercard and the main fight, plus analysis and social media reaction online at The Australian from 9am Sunday morning, with sports writer Brent Read our man in Brisbane. He knows his stuff — find out what happened when he hit the road with Pacquiao here.
The fight is also available to order as pay-per-view from Foxtel, costing $59.95. More details here.
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