Pacquiao finally meets challenger

Manny Pacquiao, right, an 11-time boxing champion across eight weight divisions and now a member of the Philippines senate, speaks at a press conference in Brisbane, Australia, Wednesday, April 27, 2017, about his coming bout against Australia’s Jeff Horn, left. Their world title bout is scheduled for July 2. (AP Photo/John Pye)

Promoter Bob Arum likened the Manny Pacquiao-Jeff Horn collision for the World Boxing Organization welterweight crown on July 2 in Brisbane, Australia, to a young lion challenging the alpha male for control of the pride.

“This fight certainly has that theme,” Arum told AP Wednesday, when Pacquiao, 38, and Horn, 29, met for the first time.

The eight-division world champion admitted he didn’t know Horn at all.

But Horn knows Pacquiao well. Since the title fight was broached to him, the former school teacher, who holds a 16-win, 1-draw record with 11 knockouts, had watched countless videos of his opponent, studying his moves, strengths, and weaknesses.

“He’s done so much. He’s fought a lot of champions,” Horn said. “But if he underestimates me, he’s going to know about it July 2.”

“If you ask inside my heart, I have confidence to win the fight, but I’m not taking it lightly. I am not underestimating him,” said Pacquiao. –ROY LUARCA