Never mind his opponent. Jeff Horn still has to come to grips with the quality of fighters his opponent has beaten as he continues a running battle with his nerves ahead of the WBO welterweight title fight with Manny Pacquiao.
Horn was at the venue of the July 2 showdown at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday, being unveiled as an ambassador for the PCYCÂ boxing program and teaching kids how to work the heavy bag in between signing gloves and posing for photos.
More Sports HQ Videos
Pacquiao's message for Horn
Manny Pacquiao has a message for Jeff Horn before their July showdown.
He wasn't aware that this will be the same gym Pacquiao will use as his training base when he arrives in Brisbane for the bout, seen by many as a lop-sided tune-up for the champion ahead of bigger fights at the end of the year.
Brisbane fighter Horn has other ideas, although he admits he is still coming to grips with his new-found notoriety, which would soar globally should be produce the unthinkable and upset the Filipino legend in front of a predicted 55,000-strong crowd.
At the moment, the sheer scale of the event and the stature of the man in the other corner is taking some digesting. Not only that, after pouring through videos of Pacquiao's fights, Horn is realising the star power of the men left in his wake.
Ricky Hatton, Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto, Oscar De La Hoya ... all would have been heavily favoured to beat Horn should he have campaigned in their era. It's a stark realisation he knows he has to rationalise if he wants to perform at his peak in the ring.
"He's fighting superstars and beating them. That's why he's got the name he has and is known all around the world," Horn said.
"I embrace that, but a lot of the time I try not to think about it or worry. As soon as I really start to deeply think about it, that's when the nerves start. I have to practice that, come the fight, when I walk out and there's 55,000 people and Manny is across the ring."
![Stepping up his preparation: Jeff Horn says his work in the gym is filling him with confidence.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170610090745im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/q/m/u/5/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gwneuf.png/1496928538778.jpg)
Horn knows that nerves will be a huge factor. Pacquiao has seen and done virtually everything in the sport, at some of its biggest and most famous arenas. All of this is new to Horn and he's conscious of the fact if could leave him paralysed on the night.
"Knowing this is the biggest fight we are going to have in Australia, it blows my mind. And having all of these guys talking about it ... it's amazing," Horn said.
But Horn said his work in the gym was filling him with confidence. He will spar 12 rounds in coming days and do so time and again to prepare for what he anticipates could be a long night at the office.
He also believes he will fight at a heavier weight than Pacquiao, which could prove the difference if his legs and lungs can carry him deep into the fight.
"I could be a few kilograms heavier when we fight. That's an advantage. From rounds one to six, not so much. In the later rounds, the weight of leaning on each other and the shots accumulate, that's when you start to realise the advantage.
"You know when a guy is a bit heavier. You just feel that weight.
"He's very confident and he thinks he can stop me by round six. I think it's going to be a 12-round decision, or I'm going to get him earlier."
0 comments
New User? Sign up