Tim Tszyu next in line for Jeff Horn after beating Michael Zerafa
Jeff Horn plans to take a few weeks off before starting his preparation for a likely fight against Tim Tszyu.
Jeff Horn plans to take a few weeks off over Christmas and New Year to let his beaten and battered face recover from another war against Michael Zerafa. By the start of February, his promoter Dean Lonergan wants Horn running sandhills and eating salads again in preparation for another fight, maybe for a world title but more likely against Tim Tszyu.
Now is the time to strike for Horn as he puts himself back in the big-fight picture.
His win over Zerafa at the Brisbane Exhibition and Convention Centre on Wednesday night was another of those stereotypical nights that have made Horn a box-office banker.
He had blood streaming from a gaping cut over his left eye, looked on the verge of being knocked out in the ninth round, yet found a way to fight his way out of a hole and avenge his loss to Zerafa from four months ago.
There won’t be a third fight, something Horn made clear in the early hours of Thursday morning as he nursed his wounds and took a brief glimpse into his crystal ball.
The obvious option is Tszyu, son of legendary fighter Kostya Tszyu and one of the rising stars of the sport in this country.
Tszyu has won 15 fights in succession and a bout with Horn would be a financial success given the profile of both fighters.
The alternative for Horn would be to chase a world title at super welterweight, although a victory over Tszyu may be a stepping stone to exactly that.
Lonergan and Tszyu’s promoter Matt Rose have held preliminary discussions and the biggest hurdle to the fight taking place would likely be where it is held. The Horn camp will push for Brisbane, Tszyu will be keen to fight in Sydney.
Lonergan slipped into salesman mode within hours of Horn’s redemptive victory on Wednesday night as he spoke about the prospects of a Tszyu bout.
“Not a chance (he could beat Jeff next fight),” Lonergan said.
“Jeff Horn, on that performance, destroys Tim Tszyu and I’ll also say that Michael Zerafa, on that performance and his last performance, destroys Tim Tszyu.
“It’s not even the same conversation. But at the end of the day, we’ll take the fight, Jeff will make a lot of money for knocking him the f. k out.
“After Jeff Horn lost to Crawford, Tim Tszyu said ‘get me that fight’. Are you kidding me? One is the best in the world and one that has beaten a few Australian club fighters. Seriously?”
“Jeff Horn verses Tim Tszyu — it is no war, it is a trouncing. We will have a look around at the opportunities.
“I don’t want to fight at middleweight ever again. We all agree that light middleweight is where he should be.”
Horn, 31, would carry a significant edge in experience compared to the younger Tszyu (25), whose pedigree and bloodlines point to a long and distinguished career in the sport. Yet good genes don’t always guarantee success.
Joe Frazier’s son Marvis fought for a world title in the 1980s but ran into a rampant Mike Tyson and was demolished in 30 seconds. It was as close as he ever got to winning a belt.
Tszyu is very much in the infancy of his career, but his latest win against Jack Brubaker earlier this month was among his more impressive as he picked apart the veteran before Brubaker’s trainer Jeff Fenech threw in the towel.
Horn would be a different proposition altogether.
“I would like to see Jeff, as long as he is up for it … fighting again in April,” Lonergan said.
“If he is going to fight, he gets back training at the end of January and we fight in April. We go into full-on camp on February 1.
“At his age, he doesn’t need hit outs, we need fights to be meaningful. Whether that is to be the number one Australian at light middleweight or a world champion at light middleweight, it’s up to what Jeff wants.
“We need to put fights in front of Jeff that motivate him. The first Zerafa fight didn’t … we ended up with a fat welterweight and he lost.
“This one really motivated him and he won.”
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