Jeff Horn of Australia celebrates after beating Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines during their WBO World welterweight title fight in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, July 2, 2017. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
BRISBANE—Jeff Horn’s vision has come true. When the final bell rang, his arms were raised and the World Boxing Organization welterweight title was on his waist.
While Manny Pacquiao saw no sign, nor dreamed of emerging the loser in their “Battle of Brisbane,” Horn bared during Wednesday’s press conference that he pictured himself at the top of the ring, victorious.
Very few believed the former school teacher then as he was the huge underdog in his WBO tussle against the legendary Pacquiao.
But Horn believed in himself, confident with his abilities and the preparations he and his trainers had taken during their 10-month training camp.
“It feels amazing,” Horn said during the postfight conference at a function room of Suncorp Stadium. “I felt just lucky throwing a lot of punches to upset his rhythm.”
That was part of the 10-point plan charted by Glenn Rushton, Horn’s millionaire trainer.
According to Horn, who showed up with his handsome face marked with welts, cuts and bruises, performing before over 50,000 people propped him up.
And hearing them chanting his moniker, Hornet, gave him the strength to survive a near knockout in the ninth round and finish the bout still firing away.
“That’s just my heart,” said Horn. “It keeps me going a couple of more rounds. I still feel good and came back in the 10th, 11th and 12th rounds. “
Those homestretch rounds turned out to be pivotal as the referees awarded it to him for the marginal points in a unanimous decision over Pacquiao, 117-111 once, and 115-113 twice.
Acknowledging that Pacquiao was indeed a great champion, Horn said he’s willing to give Pacquiao a rematch.
While he preferred his first title defense to be held in Brisbane, Horn said he’s open to the idea of going over to the Philippines to give Pacquiao a chance to regain the 147-pound crown.
Another goal for Horn is to unify the welterweight titles and said he doesn’t mind facing unified world champion Keith Thurman or International Boxing Federation king Errol Spence, both Americans.
Horn, who reportedly earned $500,000 for his title crack against Pacquiao, who stands to get around $8 to 10 million, said he was also motivated by the desire to give his wife and their unborn child a better life. Now that he’s a champion, Horn, only 29, can dream on without restrictions.