Manny ready to wage war
MANNY Pacquiao cracked his biggest smile yesterday at the thought of a toe-to-toe slugfest with Jeff Horn in Brisbane.
“I love to brawl,’’ he said ahead of Sunday’s World Boxing Organisation welterweight title fight at Suncorp Stadium.
“It’s going to be a war. I’m expecting him to come inside close to me, fighting toe-to-toe and I’m ready for that.
“I love to fight aggressive fighters. I plan to win and a knockout is a bonus.”
More than 45,000 tickets for the bout have already been sold and Pacquiao says he hopes Horn follows Jeff Fenech’s tactics. Pacquiao said he knew all about Fenech’s strategy after being reminded Australia’s three-time world champ had told Horn to “bash the bloke in close, do everything to hurt him in close. Twist him, twist his knees, use your weight advantage, bully him — bang your shoulder into him”.
An enormous smile broke across Pacquiao’s face and his eyes sparkled with a little of the fire Horn will see close up on Sunday afternoon.
“I’m ready for that,” Pacquiao said before laughing loudly.
“I have been fighting and training with brawler fighters, tough fighters.
“I consider Horn a tough opponent. I never underestimate an opponent. He’s undefeated and young. He has a big right hand. He has good amateur experience.”
Pacquiao said all his hard work for the fight was now done and he would only undergo light training at the Lang Park PCYC this week.
A huge crowd at Suncorp Stadium did not frighten him, he said, adding that he had beaten Anthony Mundine’s conqueror Joshua Clottey in front of more than 50,000 people at Cowboys Stadium in Texas in 2010.
“It’s a great opportunity to fight in Brisbane and I have had a very warm welcome,” he said. “I love the fans shouting. Whether it’s for me or for Horn. Big crowds make me very happy. I like that.”
The 11-time world champion arrived in Brisbane on Saturday night with wife Jinkee and a 160-strong army of family and friends aboard a chartered AirAsia Airbus A330 flight from his home town in General Santos City.