GET ME HORN
Skeete and Warren are seeking out the new champion, writes George Gigney
BRADLEY SKEETE is ready to push for a fight with newly-crowned WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn [inset] after winning the British title outright earlier this month.
Skeete outpointed Dale Evans in London to win the Lonsdale belt for keeps and a week earlier Horn stunned Pacquiao in Brisbane, Australia to become one of the most sought-after welters in the world.
Prior to Manny Pacquiao fighting Horn, Skeete – ranked highly with the WBO – had spoken of his desire to fight the Filipino and raised eyebrows when he claimed he was there for the taking.
“I genuinely believed I could have been the one to beat him, but Horn was the one to do it. No one knew about Horn before this fight, he went and beat Pacquiao but if the fight can be made between me and him, I’ll grab the chance with both hands,” he told Boxing News. “Me and Horn could have boxed for the Commonwealth title and no one would have said a bad word about that. It’s boxing at the end of the day and we’ll see what happens. I’d definitely travel for it, he’s the champion, but with BT’S backing now I’m sure Frank [Warren, his promoter] could maybe get him over here and that would be a bonus.” Now in the WBO’S top three, the Penge man isn’t even far off becoming Horn’s mandatory challenger though he hopes Warren can secure the fight before then. For his part, Warren is optimistic that the match-up can be made and revealed that the two almost fought last year. “It’s been frustrating a little bit because you want to move him [Skeete], but it’s been his dream [to win it outright] and he’s in the top three with the WBO so he’s almost there for Horn,” he told us. “Last year we were talking about making the Commonwealth title fight against him [Horn], so it just goes to show you. That’s boxing. Bang, something happens and then you are. I’m very confident we can make that fight, you never know, we might get it over here [in the UK].” When speaking about Pacquiao before the Horn fight, Skeete claimed he was open for right hand counters and looked way past his best years. While many scoffed at his remarks beforehand, plenty are now agreeing with that analysis after Manny’s sub-par performance in Australia. Now, Skeete is pleased he was proven right and maintains that he was not insulting Manny, but merely giving his opinion. He even joked that Horn may have used Skeete’s advice to win the fight.
“It’s definitely realistic. I’m so glad I said those things before [Pacquiaohorn] because it’s not like I’ve jumped on the bandwagon of him getting beat,” he continued. “I just stated the facts of what I thought; he’s coming to the end of his career, he’s lost his spite, he’s not the fighter he once was. I think he [Horn] looked at my interview, and that’s how he won the fight [laughs]. You open him up with the jab, step back, as he comes in you let that right hand go. A few headbutts too [laughs].”
His win over Evans came just after a month after his stoppage win over Shayne Singleton, a fight that had been postponed several times. Bradley is glad to have gotten out so quickly and after a short break intends to crack on with his world-level ambitions.
He said: “It’s come out good, it’s worked out well, being out so soon after my last fight. Then I can enjoy summer, have a few weeks off before going on to big things.”
A fight with Horn may have to wait though, as Pacquiao recently confirmed that he will continue boxing and is most likely to pursue a rematch with the Australian.