Champ to aim for KO blow
JEFF Horn is banking on a dramatic power surge spelling lights out for fiery challenger Gary Corcoran in Wednesday night’s world title fight.
His trainer Glenn Rushton says he will only be satisfied with a knockout victory to send a warning to the rest of the welterweight division overseas. And Horn is banking on his heavy punches to crush Corcoran’s hunger for the WBO belt.
“I definitely think my punches carry more power than Gary’s,” Horn said. “I’ve planned to go 12 rounds but I’m aiming to win convincingly and I’m going for the KO.’’
Horn’s strength and conditioning coach Dundee Kim said that while Horn would only be 66.68kg, he hits like a 100kg heavyweight and he has trained to end the bout with one huge punch.
“Gary has a very tight guard to protect his chin,” says the 49- year- old Korean- born fitness guru. “He leaves his body exposed and Jeff is a tremendous body puncher.
“He trains with sparring partners using heavily padded body protectors and when he hits to the body he almost lifts the opponents off the ground.
“Even with the body protector, it causes a lot of pain so those shots will be dynamite against unprotected ribs. Gary has a great set of abs but they will not be much protection.
“Jeff has the power to end the fight with one big shot early but he also has the fitness to keep punching hard for 12 rounds. If Jeff doesn’t stop Gary early, I think he will break him down and stop him in seven or eight rounds.”
Horn tonight begins the agonising ritual of dramatic weight loss with a boxing session behind closed doors with Rushton.