Jeff Horn Can’t Wait To Prove Point By “Beating Pacquiao Again!”

2012 Australian Olympian Jeff Horn (17-0-1, 11 KOs) is very eager to get in the ring with Manny Pacquiao for a second time.

Last week, Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank confirmed to BoxingScene.com that his fighter had exercised an immediate rematch clause to meet Horn in the ring before the year is out.

Last month, Horn pulled off a major upset when he secured the WBO welterweight world title with a twelve round unanimous decision over Pacquiao before a crowd of 51,000 fans at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia.

The decision was deemed controversial by a lot of observers, who felt Pacquiao had done enough to win. But nobody disagrees with the fact that Pacquiao’s performance was flat and his activity was lacking.

Horn wants to prove that his victory was no fluke.

“I’m happy for a rematch, especially after all the flak I received before the second scoring came out. Now it’s out, I still receive people saying I didn’t win. I’m willing to prove it again and beat him for the second time,” Horn said to the Sydney Morning Herald.

“I’m still proving a point. I’ve got to make sure I train just as hard. I never say I want a knockout but it’s always easier if the fight ends before the 12th round. I can improve a lot more from where I have been in the past. I think I did well in the last fight, I’ll do better the second time,” he said. “I’ve done it before, I know what I have to do to try hard and do it again. I know I can push through to more levels.”

The rematch, like the first, will take place in Horn’s backyard of Australia, likely on a date in November. Because of the winter weather, the rematch will have to take place indoors. The paper notes that the Queensland government has first and last rights but their entertainment centre only holds 13,000 fans. Melbourne has Etihad Stadium with a roof while Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena holds 21,000.

www.boxingscene.com/jeff-horn-t-wait-prove-point-by-beating-pacquiao-again–119266

Jeff Horn’s trainer Glenn Rushton predicted how the Aussie boxer would beat Manny Pacquiao 24 hours before the fight.

Pacquiao looked disinterested in the lead-up and admits taking Horn lightly after sensationally losing to the Aussie boxer.

Trainer Freddie Roach and advisor Michael Koncz did all his talking for him at the start of the week.

They clearly took a dismissive attitude towards Horn and Rushton, laughing off their challenge for the WBO welterweight title and egging Pacquiao on to seek an early knockout win.

In front of a packed hometown crowd at Suncorp Stadium, Horn punched his ticket to boxing’s big time with a gusty performance to win Pacquiao’s WBO welterweight championship.

Pacquiao said he accepted the judges’ decision and didn’t take Horn as seriously as he should have.

“I didn’t expect (he would be) that tough,” he said.

Pacquiao’s Aussie trainer and former heavyweight boxer Justin Fortune also admitted they underestimated the 29-year-old local hope.

“He fought better than we ever thought he would,” Fortune said.

“Jeff fought 100 times better than he’ll ever fight again. The kid’s got a lot of heart, a lot of balls. We’ll see where he goes from there.

“We knew he would fight nothing like we ever saw him on video, because 50,000 people, it’s your home, you’ll fight.”

But Fortune made it clear he did not agree with the result.

“The referee was sketchy, the judges were crazy,” Fortune told reporters.

“Manny lost the fight, but Jeff Horn looks like a pumpkin. Those scores, that card? It should be the other way around.

“You can make as many excuses as you’d like – it was a sh*tty referee, sh*tty judging. But that’s boxing.

“You get given a gift sometimes, you get screwed sometimes. But when you come to someone’s house you’re supposed to mess them up… never leave it in the judge’s hands.”

www.boxingscene.com/fortune-horn-fought-better-we-ever-thought-he–118183

But as seemingly every observer noted, the unanimous decision was a stunner, especially with one scorecard reading 117-111, since Pacquiao appeared to be the more polished fighter despite an absence of major power:

Pacquiao will now face major questions about his future as Horn ascends to the top of the welterweight division.

As trainer Freddie Roach noted before the fight, Pacquiao needed an impressive showing—and likely a knockout, a result he still hasn’t secured since 2009—in order to secure a coveted rematch against Floyd Mayweather Jr. 

“Jeff could derail us really badly. Manny is in a must-win situation; he wants a rematch with Mayweather,” Roach said, per the Australian Associated Press (via the Guardian). “And with Mayweather you have to look good against an opponent; you have to be impressive.”

For now, though, the focus will be on second fight with Horn since there is a rematch clause in their contract. 

www.bleachreport.com/articles/2719396-pacquiao-vs-horn-results-winner-scorecard-recap-and-prize-money-split

Superstar Manny Pacquiao’s world title defence from ‘down under’ when he puts his WBO welterweight title on the line against undefeated number two world-rated contender Jeff Horn will be aired exclusively live on BoxNation.

The eight-division world champion and the reigning ‘Fighter of the Decade’ takes on undefeated Australian Horn from the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane next Saturday night.

Promoted by Top Rank and Duco Events, “The Battle of Brisbane” is expected to attract 55,000 fans, with Pacquiao fighting in Australia for the first time in his illustrious career.

The 38-year-old Pacquiao (59-6-2, 38 KOs), is coming off impressive wins over former champions Jessie Vargas and Timothy Bradley and is now in his third reign as WBO welterweight champion.

Horn (16-0-1, 11 KOs), who will be fighting in his hometown of Brisbane, enters this clash having won his last three fights – all in 2016 – against Ali Funeka, Rico Mueller and Randall Bailey inside the distance.

The 29-year-old goes into the fight extremely confident and will be looking for the record crowd to spur him on to victory on July 1st against the legendary Filipino.

Also featuring on the card will be Irish Olympian Michael Conlan who enters the ring for the third time as a professional when he takes on Jarrett Owen.

Conlan has looked sensational in his recent outings and will look to continue where he left off when he stopped Mexican Alfredo Chanez last May.

Top Rank boss Bob Arum can’t wait for the exciting card and has tipped Pacquiao to come out victorious in the main event.

“Manny has been a pioneer, bringing world title fights to Cowboys Stadium, The Venetian Macao’s Cotai Arena and now Suncorp Stadium. We’re boxing’s version of Lewis & Clark, discovering new markets,” said Hall of Fame promoter Arum. “Manny knows who will be the crowd favourite on July 1st, but he can’t wait to give Australia and the world a great performance. It’s going to be an unbelievable event.”

Jim McMunn, BoxNation Managing Director, said: “Manny Pacquiao is undoubtedly one of the best fighters of this generation and we are delighted to showcase his fight with the unbeaten Jeff Horn exclusively live on BoxNation on July 1st. The welterweight division is stacked with amazing talent and WBO world champion Pacquiao is at the forefront of that. This will be a great event at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia, with Horn looking to burst onto the scene by becoming world champion and shocking a legend in Pacquiao. It will be a great card for BoxNation subscribers to tune in and watch, with Irish Olympic hero Michael Conlan also on the bill.”

www.boxingscene.com/manny-pacquiao-vs-jeff-horn-boxnation–117843?print_friendly=1

WASHINGTON — Jessie Vargas talked all week about his new-found power. He said that he would show it off against undefeated former Olympian Sadam Ali on Saturday night at the D.C. Armory.

Did he ever. After looking to be a half-step slow in the first few rounds, Vargas flashed his power in the middle rounds of the HBO co-feature, knocking Ali down twice before referee Kenny Chevalier stopped it at 2:09 of the ninth round.

Vargas, a Las Vegas native, takes home the vacant WBO welterweight title he nearly won against Timothy Bradley last June, but lost when the fight was ended prematurely by the referee, who mistook the 10-second warning for the final bell. Vargas had Bradley out on his feet at the time and might have dropped him in the 8-10 seconds he would have had left.

Vargas wants another shot at Bradley, who fights Manny Pacquiao on April 9 in Las Vegas. The belt he won Saturday was the belt Bradley vacated so he could fight Pacquiao instead of Ali, the mandatory.

“Win or lose, I want Bradley,” an elated Vargas told reporters at ringside afterward. “We have some unfinished business.”

Vargas (27-1, 10 KOs) outworked Ali, landing 159 punches overall to 118 for Ali, according to CompuBox statistics. The power punches were much closer, with Vargas landing 95 (45.2%) and Ali 93 (44.9%). The difference was that Vargas’ jab was more effective and efficient (he landed 64 to Ali’s 25).

“I tore him apart piece by piece,” Vargas said. “This is what I’ve been working for all my life.”

Vargas gave all the credit to his new chief trainer, Dewey Cooper, who took over from legendary fighter Erik Morales when Vargas replaced his team after the Bradley loss. He said Cooper worked on his strength throughout training camp.

“I thank Dewey Cooper for the victory,” the 26-year-old Vargas said. “We put together a new team and (he) showed me a new technique to develop more power. It was a move to turn my hips more and drive in the power.

“He brought the best out of me. Jessie Vargas is here to stay, I guarantee that.”

Ali (22-1, 13 KOs) lost for the first time in his professional career. He said he twisted his ankle when he went down because the ring floor was wet with sweat. The crowd booed a bit, thinking it was hearing an excuse from Ali.

“I just got caught with a good overhand right I didn’t see,” Ali said. “(He) really surprised me with that shot. I wasn’t expecting that, but as I went down I twisted my right ankle and after that I wasn’t able to move like I wanted.

“But I stuck it out. I kept coming back. Unfortunately when you’re in pain it is very uncomfortable.”

Ali said he felt really strong before the fight.

“I felt very confident and sometimes that isn’t enough,” he said. “I need to go back to the drawing board and make sure to correct the mistakes that I made in the ring tonight. I’m going to come back better than ever.”

(Photos of Vargas and Ali by Tom Hogan, Hoganphotos)

boxingjunkie.usatoday.com/2016/03/05/jessie-vargas-stops-sadam-ali-in-round-9-to-claim-vacant-wbo-welterweight-title/

Saturday’s HBO World Championship Boxing doubleheader telecast begins at 10:00 p.m. (ET/PT). Opening up the telecast from the DC Armory in Washington D.C. is a 12-round welterweight title matchup between Sadam Ali and Jessie Vargas. The main event of the evening, a 12-round heavyweight attraction, features Luis Ortiz taking on Tony Thompson in his back yard.

Luis Ortiz 242.6 vs. Tony Thompson 263.8

Sadam Ali 147 vs. Jessie Vargas 146.2
(WBO welterweight title)

www.fightnews.com/Boxing/hbo-weights-from-washington-d-c-327641

Manny Pacquiao celebrates after defeating Chris Algieri in their welterweight title fight in Macao on Nov. 23. (Chris Hyde / Getty Images)

Manny Pacquiao used the momentum of his career-best six knockdowns Sunday to launch a renewed push for a much-anticipated fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr.

“For me, the fans deserve to see that fight,” Pacquiao told the Los Angeles Times in the post-fight news conference. “It’s time to see that happen. People can prepare for it early next year.”

While there are significant negotiations to get through after multiple efforts have failed, Pacquiao’s performance in knocking down New York’s previously unbeaten Chris Algieri in a World Boxing Organization welterweight title fight again heightens interest in a potential bout between the best two boxers of the last decade.

Manny Pacquiao, right, punches Chris Algieri during their welterweight title fight at The Venetian in Macao on Sunday. Pacquiao won in a 12-round decision. (Credit:  Xaume Olleros / AFP/Getty Images)

“Manny Pacquiao is a great champion, and when he prepares for a fight, there’s nobody better, nobody who can come close to beating him,” Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum said.

“If boxing is to be considered a major sport, the fight has to happen.”

Some of the luster on the showdown was lost when Pacquiao suffered a 2012 knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez, and Mayweather proceeded to become the 2013 fighter of the year.

Then Sunday happened, when Pacquiao fought with a visible thirst for the knockout, following up hurtful blows with more devastating punishment and sending Algieri to the canvas in the second round, twice more in both the sixth and ninth rounds, and again in the 10th.

“He’s a great fighter, his experience really showed,” Algieri said. “His adjustments were flawless.”

Pacquiao said belting the former junior-welterweight world champion Algieri so frequently he forced him to “get down and up six times” emboldens the champion to call out Mayweather.

“I want that fight … before I was the only one talking about that fight,” Pacquiao said later in the news conference. “The other [side was] denying to talk about it, so it was [best] to say nothing.

“Now, the fight, it has to happen.”

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-pacquiao-mayweather-algieri-boxing-20141123-story.html

Manny Pacquiao has insisted he will not hang up his gloves even if he loses his third straight fight against Brandon Rios later this month.

The 34-year-old expects to overpower the American in Macau as he looks to bounce back from defeats to Timothy Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez.

Bradley ended Pacquiao’s seven-year, 15-fight winning run with a controversial split decision victory in June 2012, and the Filipino great was then knocked out in the sixth round by Marquez six months later.

But Pacquiao declared he still has the desire to compete at the highest level, and he feels no added pressure to get his career back on track in his WBO welterweight title bout against Rios on November 23.

“It’s one of the most important fights of my career because I want to show my fans and the world that I can still compete at a high level with elite boxers,” Pacquiao said.

“I am expecting to win this fight. It’s a really important fight for me in my boxing career because I lost the last two.

“It doesn’t affect me. As far as boxing is concerned sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.

“I feel comfortable and confident about going on to win this fight, but I am not looking to retire if I lose this fight.

“My motivation is that boxing is in my blood. I enjoy it and I like to entertain my fans worldwide.

http://www.boxingscene.com/manny-pacquiao-if-rios-beats-me-i-not-retire–71386

Photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank –

By Karl Freitag –

At Wednesday’s Nevada State Athletic Commission meeting, it was decided that the officials for the WBO welterweight championship bout between Timothy Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas will be referee Robert Byrd, judges will be Robert Hoyle, Patricia Morse-Jarman and Glenn Feldman. With Marquez making $6 million and Bradley 4.1 million, the fee schedule lists $5000 for the referee and $3500 for the judges,

The officials for the WBO featherweight championship bout between Orlando Salido and Orlando Cruz will be referee Kenny Bayless, judges are Jerry Roth, Glenn Trowbridge, Ed Kubler.

Following the CJ Ross controversy in the Mayweather-Alvarez fight, extra attention was paid to the selection of officials as NSAC executive director Keith Kizer explained the process and the commission carefully deliberated on Kizer’s recommendations. That portion of the meeting lasted 28 minutes.

http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/bradley-marquez-officials-named-227244