Autralian Jeff Horn scored a huge upset against boxing legend Manny Pacquiao to become the new WBO welterweight champion. And this early, they are already taking about a rematch.
Horn’s ultra-aggressive style made him look good before the eyes of the three judges to earn a unanimous decision victory after 12-rounds of action before a sellout crowd at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia.
Pacquiao fans back home felt Pacquiao won the bout even as Punchstats showed the Filipino boxing senator landing more power punches that should have scored more heavily in a professional championship bout.
Horn said he is willing to face Pacquiao in a rematch that was actually included in the contract.
While he congratulated Horn for the decision victory, it looked as though Pacquiao is also gearing up for a rematch.
“I was about to finish him (in the 9th round) but he survived. I learned a lot about this fight so next time I will make sure I am prepared against his style,” said Pacquiao during the post-fight interview.
Is he game for a rematch?
“Yes, definitely.”
Given no chance by most observers, the 29-year-old Horn's tactics proved too much for Pacquiao, with the three judges scoring the fight 117-111, 115-113 and 115-113 to the Australian after 12 rounds.
Pacquiao, 38, is an eight-weight world champion considered one of the greatest fighters of his generation. His camp had predicted a "short and sweet" win over Horn, a 2012 Australian Olympian.
But Horn showed no signs of being overawed by the occasion, taking the fight to the Filipino great from the opening bell.
He moved forward relentlessly, not allowing Pacquiao time to find any rhythm.
"I feel like he couldn't get a hold of my gap. I was feinting a lot, trying to upset his rhythm and I think that was working throughout the majority of that fight," said Horn, who stands three-and-a-half inches (9cm) taller than Pacquiao.
Pacquiao did manage to land some left jabs in the opening rounds to take the early points, but Horn refused to back away and his brawling tactics paid dividends through the middle stages.
"He was quick when he put combinations together but I felt controlling the gap made it easier to see the punches coming," Horn said.
"The size difference helped too."
Both fighters began to tire in the final stages of a contest fought at a relentless pace, but Horn's early lead proved too much to peg back as he claimed the biggest win of his career.
Pacquiao had been hoping to set up a second big-money showdown with Floyd Mayweather, but it was Horn who called for a fight with the unbeaten American immediately after his win. AFP