THIS IS GOODBYE
"In the end, I have to ask if I have more in the tank or is that it?
Jeff Horn on retirement
JEFF Horn concedes his glorious career is almost certainly over.
Three years after his lifechanging defeat of Manny Pacquiao, Horn revealed he will spend the coming days and weeks considering retirement in the wake of his comprehensive loss to Tim Tszyu in Townsville.
Horn entered the bout declaring he was in better shape than when he conquered Pacquiao but in the fight game, champions can grow old overnight and the 32-year-old admits the younger Tszyu showed him age can weary even the best. Horn has nothing left to prove. His Pacquiao boilover delivered a world title and generated millions of dollars that have set him and wife Jo up for life.
Now, with two young daughters to consider amid concerns for his long-term welfare, the former Brisbane schoolteacher’s honest words suggested the sting had gone out of The Hornet.
“I probably don’t have the hunger of Tim Tszyu,” he said. “I’ve been there, done the world title, I was just fighting for the big fights.
“The mountain was too big for me (against Tszyu). I told him he can go all the way. He has the ability. All the best to Tim in his career.”
As for his own career, Horn said: “I’ve got to go home, evaluate things and talk to the family. You never know, time will tell. I’ll go home and talk to Jo but I know what she’s going to say.
“In the end, I have to ask if I have more in the tank or is that it?”
In the minutes after the defeat, just Horn’s third loss from 24 fights, his father, Jeff senior, believed his son’s fairytale career was over and trainer Glenn Rushton said he would not oppose a retirement call.
“Jeff has done wonders for boxing in Australia. He’s done it all,” he said. “It wasn’t a great night. If Jeff wanted to hang up his gloves, I wouldn’t have any issues. I think of him like a son, his health is the most important thing to me always. He’s done the best he could against a young, hungry talented lion.
“Jeff has to sit down with his family, he’s done amazing things in his boxing career. You have to question if the hunger is there. His life has changed; he has two beautiful daughters and a lovely wife.
“I’d encourage him not to make a quick decision but I’ll support him 100 per cent in whatever he does.”
Horn looked surprisingly sluggish from the outset and admitted he was stunned by Tszyu’s power and precision.
“He made me look silly out there,” he said.
“It was a surprise how good he was. I was slightly off on my attacks but that was down to him as well.
“My corner was telling me I wasn’t winning the rounds. I was trying to change it up but he was either forward at me or going back.
“He was very good.”