Fenech ‘the best model for Jeff ’
ROY Jones believes Jeff Horn needs to channel compatriot Jeff Fenech’s fighting style if he is to succeed on the world stage.
Horn makes the first defence of the WBO welterweight strap on Wednesday night, the title he lifted from Manny Pacquiao in July.
His opponent, Gary Corcoran, is 17-1 and is a stretch as a world title challenger.
Corcoran is viewed as a stepping stone for Horn, ahead of a prize fight with consensus pound-for-pound king Terrence Crawford next year.
Having watched Horn closely in recent fights, Jones considers Fenech the perfect template for him to succeed at that level.
“The style he should look at, if he’s going to fight the way he’s (been) fighting and fight somebody like Terrence Crawford, he better go study his own countryman Jeff Fenech,” Jones told The Sunday Times in New York last weekend.
“That’s the style it’s going to take to beat people with the way that he fights.”
Fenech predicted Horn’s upset victory over Pacquiao, but he also stated recently that Crawford presented a much sterner test, and was closer to his physical prime.
Bob Arum’s Top Rank Promotions, which staged the Pacquiao mega-fight in July, has tentatively earmarked either March 10 or April 7 in Las Vegas.
Reports this week suggest a potential $2 million offer is in front of Horn to face Anthony Mundine in 2018 – easily the most lucrative of Horn’s career.
When asked about Horn’s prospects in a potential showdown with Crawford, Jones said: “It doesn’t look good for him, but it’s a good fight for him to have.
“He got the decision over Pacquiao, you got to follow suit and do what’s next. If it’s a Terrence Crawford fight, then that’s what you got to do.”
Horn believes he has the style to match it with the top pound-for-pound fighters.
“I feel like my style upsets the pure boxers,” Horn said when asked about Crawford.
Horn is currently a $1.10 favourite to beat Corcoran with some bookmakers.