Horn ‘ headbutt’ claims Video will be shown to referee
A 93- SECOND video showing Jeff Horn apparently headbutting opponents will be shown to referee Benjy Esteves Jr today in a bid for the champion to be deducted points during tomorrow’s fight in Brisbane.
Challenger Gary Corcoran’s trainer Frank Greaves labelled WBO welterweight champ Horn a “dirty fighter” yesterday, showing the clip while putting a padded boxing glove on his head and saying Horn should fight with it.
The video has footage of Horn leading with his head against four of his past five opponents: Manny Pacquiao, Ali Funeka, Rico Mueller and Ahmed El Mousaoui.
The video is soundtracked by a looped comment from fight caller Bob Sheridan, saying “Horn trying to rough him up a bit on the inside. That’s when he can get a headbutt on the inside here like that”.
Greaves said he’d cut the video down to 93 seconds, but could have had “more than 20 minutes” of alleged fouls.
Each camp can meet Esteves today to discuss concerns, and Corcoran’s crew will present the video.
“He is dirty, there is absolutely no question that he’s dirty,” Greaves said.
“H He’s leading in with his head; he leaves his head in there all the time. I just want to draw attention to that fact.” It incensed Horn. “I’m never going to come in there and deliberately smack my head against someone,’’ he said. “It’s stupid. Why would I be smacking my face up? I’m getting cuts on my face, not on top of my head.”
Horn said Corcoran’s attempt to portray him as a headbutter may be a strategy to disguise the Englishman’s own planned rough- house moves.
“I feel like he could get dirty, especially if I’m outboxi ing him in there,’’ he said.
“He might feel like, ‘ What c can I do to upset the guy’, and headbutting or biting might be the case.”
Corcoran dismissed Horn’s stunning unanimous points win against Pacquiao as victory over a “shot” fighter.
“As long as it’s a clean fight, I’m confident of winning,” he said. “That ninth round ( when Horn was nearly floored by Pacquiao), where Jeff was, I’m going to bring him back there.”
Greaves said he wanted his fighter to get a fair shake if Horn led with his head.
“It’s not a concern provided he gets warned for it,” he said. “I don’t mind a dirty fight at all – Gary can fight dirty – but we want it to be level. If Jeff’s going to be dirty and we get away with being dirty, no problem.”
Horn’s trainer Glenn Rushton rubbished the headbutting claims.
“Jeff doesn’t headbutt,” he said. “What you’re not factoring in is all the unknowns – someone moves their head this way just as he moves his head.
“You’ve got two explosive fighters in Manny Pacquiao and Jeff Horn, both very evasive and fast moving.
“Sometimes they both zig when one should have zagged – boom, there’s a head clash.”