Is Horn tough enough to gore Pacquiao?

Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao raises his WBO welterweight championship belt during a news conference upon arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay city, southeast of Manila, Philippines. Pacquiao, 38, will add another fight to his long career resume when he takes on Australian welterweight Jeff Horn on April 23. AP

No question about it, the $5 million initially offered Manny Pacquiao to fight the undefeated but obscure Jeff Horn of Australia was an insult, paltry sum properly brushed off as peanuts.

Pacquiao definitely deserves more than twice that price.

At the same time, there were keen Pacquiao admirers who have also started asking whether Horn, 28, could prove tough or sharp enough to challenge the celebrated eight-division world title winner.

Many fight fans continue to clamor for a Pacquiao fight against the phenomenal WBO light welterweight champion Terence Crawford.

Too bad that Crawford has inexplicably dropped out of the picture.

When they started talking last year about Pacquiao’s next fight, Crawford emerged as the most prominent candidate.

Now, after being dumped again, Crawford stood up and declared he was never part of the lottery, in the first place.

“There was no conversation of even fighting Pacquiao,” Crawford claimed.

Contrary to what had been proposed, Crawford said Team Pacquiao has never bothered to contact him.

Horn, the former school teacher, is being described as a low-risk opponent for Pacquiao.

In fact, majority of those who had seen films of Horn’s previous bouts were of the opinion Horn could end up as a pawn, who could pave the way for Pacquiao to finally score his first knockout after eight years.

An aggressive attacker, Horn has been given very little chance to mount a serious challenge due to his swarming style and poor head movement.

They said Horn has had a total of three kissing visits to the canvas in previous bouts.