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ARUM AND OPERATION "DON'T BEAT JEFF HORN"
By Paul Magno | September 01, 2017ARUM AND OPERATION
The plan was to have Jeff Horn fight Manny Pacquiao this November in a rematch of the highly-controversial July ESPN heist that saw “the fighting school teacher” maul his way to the WBO welterweight title via unanimous decision. Instead, the mission is now to somehow keep the likeable Australian unbeaten until plans can play out and maximum profit can be achieved.
A packed agenda has forced Pacquiao into removing himself from the contractually obliged rematch this fall, in favor of a first half of 2018 date. However, with a November bout already in the books for Horn and home country interests chomping at the bit to show off their brand new champ, it looks as though Team Horn and co-promoter, Arum, are stuck with the unenviable task of finding a top 10 welterweight that the guy can actually beat.
Yes, Horn is game and plucky and all of the other adjectives used for under-talented, big-hearted, but ultimately low-ceiling pugs. But, honestly, he’s just not even remotely close to being an elite-level welter. The fact that he beat Pacquiao (and he really didn’t) could be chalked up to many factors, from poor judging to an overconfident Pacquiao to a rough, awkward style that threw Pacquiao off and gave the appearance that he was winning rounds that he wasn’t—maybe it was ALL of those factors—but Horn is not better than Pacquiao and he’s not better than ANY of the top 147-pounders.
So, if Horn is to pass the belt back to Pacquiao in another spirited affair, precipitating a third (and even more lucrative in-house fight) or if he’s to “beat” Manny again and be fed to the welterweight-bound Terence Crawford, then he has to make it to 2018.
Luckily for his team, the WBO welterweight rankings are the weakest of all the four sanctioning bodies’ rankings. Outside of Pacquiao in the no. 1 slot and Lucas Matthysse at no. 2, the WBO top 10 is full of oddities and question marks, such as Taras Shelestyuk (no. 6) and Adrian Luciano Veron (no. 8), among others.
In a division packed with so much talent and so many accomplished fighters, the names listed in the WBO’s official rankings defy common sense. But, realistically, even when choosing from THIS list, Arum and Team Horn won’t find anyone that their guy can 100%, without doubt and without “help,” beat. Horn against anyone is going to be a crapshoot—and that likely makes a sharp old pro like Arum extremely uncomfortable.
Barring some rankings razzle dazzle sleight of hand to suddenly produce an utterly inept, supremely beatable fall guy for Horn’s fall date, his people are going to have to roll the dice, match him up with the most modestly-able contender currently allowable, and hope that Horn can “Horn” his way to another win.
If they can’t get him through November, all plans fall to pieces—Pacquiao is without a safe dance partner and Crawford will have to look elsewhere for his first trial horse opponent and paper title.
It should be interesting to see how this plays out and who gets the call for Horn’s first defense.
By Paul Magno | September 01, 2017ARUM AND OPERATION
The plan was to have Jeff Horn fight Manny Pacquiao this November in a rematch of the highly-controversial July ESPN heist that saw “the fighting school teacher” maul his way to the WBO welterweight title via unanimous decision. Instead, the mission is now to somehow keep the likeable Australian unbeaten until plans can play out and maximum profit can be achieved.
A packed agenda has forced Pacquiao into removing himself from the contractually obliged rematch this fall, in favor of a first half of 2018 date. However, with a November bout already in the books for Horn and home country interests chomping at the bit to show off their brand new champ, it looks as though Team Horn and co-promoter, Arum, are stuck with the unenviable task of finding a top 10 welterweight that the guy can actually beat.
Yes, Horn is game and plucky and all of the other adjectives used for under-talented, big-hearted, but ultimately low-ceiling pugs. But, honestly, he’s just not even remotely close to being an elite-level welter. The fact that he beat Pacquiao (and he really didn’t) could be chalked up to many factors, from poor judging to an overconfident Pacquiao to a rough, awkward style that threw Pacquiao off and gave the appearance that he was winning rounds that he wasn’t—maybe it was ALL of those factors—but Horn is not better than Pacquiao and he’s not better than ANY of the top 147-pounders.
So, if Horn is to pass the belt back to Pacquiao in another spirited affair, precipitating a third (and even more lucrative in-house fight) or if he’s to “beat” Manny again and be fed to the welterweight-bound Terence Crawford, then he has to make it to 2018.
Luckily for his team, the WBO welterweight rankings are the weakest of all the four sanctioning bodies’ rankings. Outside of Pacquiao in the no. 1 slot and Lucas Matthysse at no. 2, the WBO top 10 is full of oddities and question marks, such as Taras Shelestyuk (no. 6) and Adrian Luciano Veron (no. 8), among others.
In a division packed with so much talent and so many accomplished fighters, the names listed in the WBO’s official rankings defy common sense. But, realistically, even when choosing from THIS list, Arum and Team Horn won’t find anyone that their guy can 100%, without doubt and without “help,” beat. Horn against anyone is going to be a crapshoot—and that likely makes a sharp old pro like Arum extremely uncomfortable.
Barring some rankings razzle dazzle sleight of hand to suddenly produce an utterly inept, supremely beatable fall guy for Horn’s fall date, his people are going to have to roll the dice, match him up with the most modestly-able contender currently allowable, and hope that Horn can “Horn” his way to another win.
If they can’t get him through November, all plans fall to pieces—Pacquiao is without a safe dance partner and Crawford will have to look elsewhere for his first trial horse opponent and paper title.
It should be interesting to see how this plays out and who gets the call for Horn’s first defense.
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