Biggest fight ‘in Aussie history’
JEFF Horn has started training to face Anthony Mundine at Suncorp Stadium on a Saturday night in November in what his team predicts will be the biggest night of boxing ever held in Australia.
Horn’s trainer Glenn Rushton has told him he must “dazzle’’ from the opening bell against Mundine and show he still has “the eye of the Tiger’’ and is hungry to climb back to the top of the sport.
Rushton said the program being planned would be the most extravagant night the Australian fight game had seen.
“We want to turn this into a mega night of boxing, a really spectacular event that Brisbane will never forget,’’ he said.
“Jeff beating Manny Pacquiao last year was a huge daytime fight to suit American television.
“But my attitude is stuff America – this is an Australian event with Australian talent and I want to see Suncorp lit up for a great night of boxing that will advertise the sport in this country like nothing else.’’
Horn will begin working with conditioning guru Dundee Kim tomorrow as he looks to supplement his training with Rushton, well aware that Mundine is preparing to be in the best physical and mental condition of his 18-year career.
“We are close to agreeing on the deal,’’ Rushton said. “But what I am very adamant about is that this has to be a Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium. I want this to be a primetime event and I want to recreate a State of Origin feel for boxing.
“People will come to the fight and go ‘wow that was really something’.’’
Rushton said while Mundine was a dangerous opponent, Horn was being prepared to score a sensational win inside the distance.
The deal for the fight is expected to be finalised within a week as a co-promotion between the two camps.
Mundine’s adviser Emaid Dib said they had offered Horn a simple deal, with both teams to pay their own expenses and then evenly split revenue from ticket and pay-per-view sales.