By Keith Idec
Nothing could truly ruin all the good that has happened to Jeff Horn since Sunday.
The previously unproven boxer has become a national hero in his native Australia after upsetting heavily favored Manny Pacquiao in their welterweight title fight at Suncorp Stadium. They even threw Horn a ticker tape parade Thursday in his hometown of Brisbane.
Glenn Rushton, Horn’s trainer/manager, has been bothered, however, by Pacquiao’s criticism of referee Mark Nelson, judges Waleska Roldan, Ramon Cerdan and Chris Flores following his controversial, 12-round, unanimous-decision defeat to Horn (17-0-1, 11 KOs). The Filipino superstar initially said that he respected the judges’ decision.
Once he had time to think about the result of a difficult, foul-filled fight most media and fans think Pacquiao won, the former WBO welterweight champion changed his mind about Roldan scoring it 117-111 and Cerdan and Flores scoring the fight 115-113 for Horn.
The 38-year-old Pacquiao (59-7-2, 38 KOs) went as far as to tell several Filipino reporters Monday that he was “set up” in Horn’s hometown. The full-time senator/part-time boxer also requested that the WBO investigate the officiating of what was supposed to be relatively easy title defense for the aging legend.
The WBO responded Tuesday by stating that there isn’t justification for an investigation into the officiating of Pacquiao-Horn.
Rushton and Horn have tried their best to ignore Pacquiao’s displeasure with his stunning loss.
“It’s just noise, random noise,” Rushton said during Thursday’s festivities. “I said before the fight to all of his team, ‘Let’s have no excuses. We’re prepared to stand naked here, burn all of our bridges, put our egos on the line. All I ask is that you guys do the same. We’ve given you fair warning. It’s gonna be a war. Prepare for battle and let’s get out there.’ But sure enough, the excuses have come out. It’s a little disappointing, but such is life.”
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing