Horn to join elite club in fighting at Garden

ROCKY Marciano, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier ... Jeff Horn?

Brisbane’s “boxing schoolteacher” is in line to do what only a select few Australians have ever done before — fight at Madison Square Garden.

Horn’s rapid rise to fame will continue when he meets Terence Crawford on April 14 in a mandatory defence of his WBO welterweight championship at the legendary New York City venue, where some of the sport’s most famous moments have unfolded.

He will be the first Australian to headline there since Daniel Geale, who was beaten by Gennady Golovkin in their WBA (Super) and IBO middleweight title bout in July 2014.

Some of Australia’s greatest boxing talents, like Jeff Fenech and Kostya Tszyu, never got the chance to set foot in the ring at the Manhattan boxing mecca. Others, such as Kali Meehan and Billy Dib, have fought on undercards.

In becoming a main event attraction, Horn is entering truly rarefied air.

“There’s so much rich history that goes with it,” Horn’s promoter Dean Lonergan said.

“You’re on a global stage and also what this presents to Jeff is a massive opportunity.

“If Jeff can establish himself in the American market, that’s what every boxer wants ... where you’ve got the biggest economy of the world, 300 million people and massive boxing support.”

Horn, 29, has never fought outside Australia or New Zealand as a professional but travelled the world extensively as an amateur. Lonergan is confident he will handle the occasion. Lonergan expects to sign official contracts for the fight within two weeks.