Now we play the weighting game
Mundine convinced he’s ready to face Horn…but conditions apply
AN ageless and still-dangerous Anthony Mundine wants any bout against Jeff Horn to be above the super welterweight limit.
Mundine believes he kept alive the possibility of a fight against WBO welterweight champion Horn with a vicious second-round KO of former featherweight world title contender Tommy Browne in Sydney on Wednesday.
Browne tagged Mundine with some good shots but the 42-year old recovered to deliver his most impressive KO in recent years, finishing a flurry with a crisp left hook.
Mundine won the vacant WBO Oriental title at middleweight, two divisions below the one Horn campaigns in.
While he has fought at super welterweight before, Mundine ruled out dropping down to that division.
He negotiated a compromise weight for his 2017 rematch with Danny Green and Mundine felt Horn could be coaxed into a similar arrangement. “Maybe three pounds over (super welterweight) I’ll go. I think thats fair because he’s a big welterweight.” Mundine said.
On Wednesday Horn’s trainer and manager Glenn Rushton didn’t rule out fighting Mundine but stressed his charge’s focus was on a mooted April mandatory defence against unbeaten American superstar Terence Crawford.
“Does Mundine stay healthy, does he have the money, all these sorts of ifs and maybes – we’ll just see,” Rushton said.
Rushton had no doubt about the outcome if the fight did happen.
“Jeff knocks him out, it’s as simple as that,” he said.
“I don’t think he’s got any chance against Jeff Horn.
“He’s not in the same league, he was a great athlete in his day.
“He’s 42 now, Jeff is 29, Jeff is in his prime.
“The one time they sparred I said to Jeff ‘just back off him, you’re making him look a bit silly’.”
Mundine dismissed the age factor.
“I’m an extraordinary athlete, age don’t bother me,” he said.
“At the moment I’m ageless. I feel like I’m better now as a fighter, more seasoned.
“Now I’m fully fit and my hip is 100 per cent, I can move both sides I’m a dangerous man. I’ve been through one generation, bring on the next generation.”
Mundine said his boxing smarts would be decisive if he did get Horn into the ring and compared the Queenslander to one of his old rivals.
“What he does is effective for him, to me he’s like a (Australia’s former IBF middleweight champion) Sam Soliman,” Mundine said.
“He’s fit, tough and very unorthodox and that works for him, but as far as boxing talent and sweet science boxing he ain’t on my level.”
HE’S 42 NOW, JEFF IS 29, JEFF IS IN HIS PRIME. THE ONE TIME THEY SPARRED I SAID TO JEFF ‘JUST BACK OFF HIM, YOU’RE MAKING HIM LOOK A BIT SILLY’. GLENN RUSHTON