Controversial gloves are off for Horn’s bout

BOXING JEFF Horn’s wife breathed a heavy sigh of relief yesterday after American challenger Terence Crawford agreed not to use the controversial horsehair boxing gloves when he fights her husband in Las Vegas on June 10 (Australian time).

Jo Horn said she had been “stressed out’’ with all the talk of the damage the lightly padded gloves can create.

On Sunday, Horn gave his wife a new pair of slippers and nightgown for Jo’s first Mother’s Day as well as a card from their four-month-old daughter Isabelle. With the heavy fists he hopes will flatten his American challenger, Horn guided the tiny hand of their baby to write words of affection.

Jo said she was gobsmacked 10 years ago when her shy, gentle boyfriend told her he wanted to try boxing and she has never gotten used to him fighting, even though he beat Manny Pacquiao before 51,000 people at Suncorp Stadium last July and will earn $2.5 million against the undefeated Crawford at the MGM Grand Casino.

“Gosh, if anything, watching Jeffrey box only gets harder because he’s fighting tougher opponents,’’ she said.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it. I was so happy when I heard that they weren’t going to box in those gloves that have just a little bit of padding.”

Horn and his wife and baby will leave Brisbane for Las Vegas on May 30.

“We’re looking forward to the trip and to supporting Jeffrey,’’ she said. “He’s looking forward to the fight but I’m just looking forward to it being all over. It’s so stressful.’’

On Sunday, Crawford’s trainer Brian McIntyre insisted his fighter would not wear the Everlast MX horsehair gloves, controversial because the padding can move around so that there is very little of it over the knuckles, dramatically increasing the force of a blow.

Horn, 30, is defending his WBO welterweight title.