Zerafa’s team built ‘winning mindset’

FOR 10 weeks, Melbourne boxer Michael Zerafa allowed a sports psychologist into his head so that the fighter could channel all the power of his body into the performance of a lifetime.

It came as no surprise to Zerafa when former world welterweight champion Jeff Horn hit the canvas against him in Round 2 at Bendigo Stadium on Saturday night and took the worst beating of his life until the fight was halted at 2min 24sec of Round 9.

“I knew it would happen,’’ Zerafa said. “I called this weeks ago. I said ‘Jeff will fall’. All credit to Jeff, he’s an absolute gentleman in and out of the ring. A family man. But I knew I would win 100 per cent.’’

Horn was due to make $2 million fighting Japan’s Olympic gold medallist Ryota Murata for the world middleweight title in Japan on December 23 and Zerafa’s team have already made contact with the Japanese star’s management about taking that spot.

“I would love the fight,’’ Zerafa said. “I’ve waited my whole life for a world title chance.’’

Zerafa dropped Horn with a long, snaking right hand in Round 2 and pummeled him to the canvas again in Round 9.

Horn’s corner signalled surrender soon after as their fighter tottered on unsteady legs into another avalanche of punches. At 31, the former world champ is now contemplating retirement.

Zerafa said after watching Horn collapse at the end of the fight that he never wanted to cause permanent damage to an opponent “but this is a business and I had a job to do”.

He said his team of trainer Sam Labruna and world-rated light-heavyweight Blake Caparello had devised “a perfect game plan’’.

While the pair had conditioned Zerafa’s body with boxing drills and increased strength work, Melbourne sports psychologist Bill Patterson had spent 10 weeks making Zerafa’s mindset unbreakable.