Jeff Horn gets Randall Bailey for March 2nd Homecoming

 
FOR Jeff Horn, the reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more.

 
The 27-year-old Horn (13-0-1, 8 KOs) will fight on home soil for the first time in two years when he faces former IBF titleholder Randall Bailey (46-8, 39 KOs) at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on March 2nd.

 
“I’m already up there at the moment, I’m ranked number seven,” said Horn at an earlier media gathering.

 
“I’m close, but I want to get inside the top five,”

 
“That’s where the next level starts and then next level of competition begins,”

 
In Bailey, 41, Horn is facing an established veteran who has reached the summit of the sport more than once.

 
The Miami-based American is a two-divison titleholder, having held the WBO light welterweight title as well as the IBF welterweight strap, which he won with a highlight-reel finish of the previously unbeaten Mike Jones.

 
Despite his age, Bailey, who is nicknamed ‘Knockout King’, poses a legitimate threat in the form of his punching power. All but seven of his wins have come by knockout and he has only been stopped by world level operators.

 
The three fighters that have beaten Bailey inside the distance include future Hall-of-Famer Miguel Cotto, former two-division titleholder Juan Urango and famed former Kostya Tszyu victim Diosbelys Hurtado.

 
It is also worth noting that Horn’s homecoming will mark the return of subscription television outlet Fox Sports – who will air the regional title fight live – following a one year hiatus from the sport.

 
The card, which is scheduled to feature at least one Australian title fight, will be the Australian debut of leading New Zealand promotional outfit Duco Events, who have promoted Horn’s past six bouts across the Tasman.

 
While no official announcement has been made by the broadcaster, it appears likely that Fox Sports will continue to invest in the talented former Olympian, who has at least three televised dates for the year.

 
Providing he gets past Bailey, Horn, who was crowned Fighter of the Year in 2015, is expected to return in May.

 
 
Photos: Al Bello/Hannah Peters for Getty Images