Reality check on Pacquiao’s next foe

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For an honest caliber-and-character check on Manny Pacquiao’s appointed next opponent, they ended up crowding veteran promoter Bob Arum against the ropes.

Does Jeff Horn beat Manny Pacquiao?

“Probably not,” retorted Arum matter-of-factly. “But he’s going to give him a good fight.”

For the record, it was Arum who handpicked the unbeaten Horn, 28, despite a loud clamor for Pacquiao to take on sensational Terence Crawford, the reigning world light welterweight boxing king.

The shocking choice of Horn marked the third time Team Pacquiao ducked Crawford.

As for Arum, he said a mouthful, going by how he had expertly dodged truth in several previous deals.

Arum was not exactly candid, but he was honest enough to a point.

“Horn has a very pleasing personality, I thought he was a really rugged guy, he’s a good fighter,” Arum added.

But would Horn, with his inferior fighting style and suspect defense, be able to finish on his feet against Pacquiao?

“Manny will knock him out in three or four rounds, I guess,” said veteran international referee Bruce McTavish from his San Fernando, Pampanga, base.

“It’s a mismatch, it’s a shame, Horn has a good future, but he’s not yet ready for somebody like Pacquiao, he’s too premature” said the 76-year-old McTavish.

McTavish, who judged Horn’s last fight in Australia, said the unbeaten Aussie Hope (16-0, 11 KOs) needs to focus on his jab, but quickly added “I think it’s not going to happen.”

Based on the prognosis of experts who had watched Horn’s previous bouts on video, the Australian aspirant looms as a lead candidate to usher Pacquiao’s first KO win in eight and a half years.

In the case of Crawford, he could only be blamed for being good, fast, strong, tough, and therefore very dangerous for Pacquiao.

Horn, meanwhile, is being applauded at home for landing a bout against Pacquiao because, like it or not, he happens to be the complete opposite of Crawford.