Horn happy with weighty situation
UNDER a blazing Queensland sun Jeff Horn declared he was ready to dominate Anthony Mundine at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night on his way to a world championship in a heavier weight class.
While Horn always battled to make the 66.68kg welterweight limit in which he won the WBO title last year against Manny Pacquiao, he is revelling at 71kg, the weight in which he will face Mundine in the River City Rumble.
Before a big crowd at Reddacliff Place in Brisbane yesterday, Horn went through a blistering public workout with coaches Glenn Rushton and Dundee Kim.
He looked as sharp as a finely- honed knife as he practised the punches he hopes will end Mundine’s career with a humiliating knockout.
The weight of expectation is on Horn to deliver a big win after he lost his world crown to Terence Crawford in Las Vegas in June and he says the extra muscle for this fight has him ready to lift on the big night.
“I used to go through pretty drastic measures of sweating down to make the welterweight limit before a fight. I would drop 4kg on the day before a weigh- in, boiling down in a sweat suit and in a hot bath.
“But I’m eating and drinking without any concerns for this fight and I feel very confident. I feel healthy and my wife says I’m a lot less grumpy because I can eat chocolate.
“Anthony is the one who will struggle to get down to the weight limit and I’m ready to pounce.’’
Horn is likely to target a version of the world junior- middleweight championship, with his ultimate goal a shot at middleweight world champ Canelo Alvarez of Mexico, whose only loss in 53 fights was on split decision against the great Floyd Mayweather.
Mundine has been sweating out his weight under the hot tin roof at the Logan Boxing Club in Slacks Creek, usually wearing three layers of sweat gear to dehydrate through gruelling workouts. But he bristles when pressed how he will trim down quickly from his usual weight of 75kg to 71kg for the fight.
“Don’t worry about me, worry about Horn,’’ he says. “I’ll be drinking, I’ll be eating and Horn is going to get a real surprise. A real shock.
“I know how to tire out a guy like him who comes straight at you. Talent- wise he’s not on my level.
“Horn is a competitor who comes to win and I respect that, but he is going to be very worn out by the half way mark.” Horn was just as fired up. “Tell Mundine I’m having a steak for lunch,” he said. “He’s the dessert next Friday night.”