Jeff Horn – “I want that world title”

 
HE is quietly spoken and relatively unassuming, but Jeff Horn is on a fast-track to boxing superstardom. He was Australia’s best performed boxer at an Olympic Games in over twenty years and if that wasn’t enough pressure going into his debut year as a professional – the fashion in which he closed out an impressive calendar year in 2013 has almost certainly underlined his credentials.

 
Horn, 26, played a starring role at the 2012 Olympic Games, winning his first two fights only to be eliminated by eventual silver medalist, Ukrainian Denis Berinchik at the quarter-final stage of the tournament.

 
“I felt like I should have walked away from the games with at least a medal, but it was just not my time.” Horn said in an exclusive interview with Aus-Boxing. “I believe my rise has been attributed to my teams confidence in my skills, I also have a good headspace and very strong belief I am destined for the top in boxing.”

 
While he is only a novice in terms of paid experience, Horn has the confidence and self-belief of a fighter who genuinely believes he will earn a coveted world title as a professional. Although he may speak of such feats with relative ease, the way Horn, a teacher by day and boxer by night, has adapted to the professional ranks in the space of twelve months, has many boxing enthusiasts claiming he is already the best Australian-born prospect in well over a decade.

 
“I turned up to the gym for self defence and fitness when I was eighteen. I always knew I wanted to do sport as a living but I was lost after giving up soccer after twelve years,” Horn explains. “My trainer Glenn recognised instantly that I had talent and told me that he would get me to the Olympics and make me a world champion one day. I have always trusted Glenn and I have always believed in the goals he has set me.”

 
Horn is a fighter who thrives on pressure, the pressure that he puts on himself to win and the expectation he now carries following a signature twelve months, that will more than likely, go untouched for quite some time. In 2013, Horn had seven fights for six wins, with the only blemish being a technical draw due to a head-clash suffered by Rivan Cesaire in their August bout.

 
Sporting an undefeated log as a professional, of 6-0-1 (five knockouts), Horn made a statement in his fifth professional fight, his second on national television against former Commonwealth title challenger Samuel Colomban, a fight where he entered as a clear underdog. Funnily enough, the fight was a mismatch. Horn scored a highlight-reel knockout in the very first round, knocking Colomban out cold, face-first while picking up the Australian welterweight title as well as ‘Knockout of the Year’ honours – all inside of three minutes.

 
Given the severity of the Colomban knockout, many thought Horn was done for the year in terms of significant bouts, firstly due to the lack of willing bodies available to face him, as well as the fact that he seemingly could not have topped that before – we were wrong. To close out 2013, Horn entered a winner-takes-all contest against former world title challenger Naoufel Ben Rabah. This was a fight that no one in Australia wanted, not to mention in the backyard of arguably the best Australian import to not win a world title.

 
“I know professional is different to amateurs but I have always had a professional style, I fit in quite nicely. It was great going in as an underdog because it gave me something to prove.” Horn said. “This is a game where you either believe you will win or you lose before you step through those ropes.  There is becoming a lack of opposition in Australia, but I don’t want to risk my body getting hurt – so I want to stay fresh and hungry by challenging myself for every fight. I want that world title.”

 
“The fight against Rabah was my toughest, it was the first time I’d gone past three rounds, but it wasn’t just that. Ben is very skilful and I needed to be on my game to beat him. It was an all or nothing fight for me so there was plenty to fight for.”

 
Horn went on to win a thrilling unanimous points decision and set the benchmark for what was a remarkable debut twelve months of a professional. To fight a former world title challenger, a former top-fifteen world rated contender and a former regional titlist in the space of six months, and not lose a fight is a notion not to be scoffed at. And if Horn is to be believed – this is just the beginning.

 
Ironically, Rivan Cesaire, the only man not beaten by Horn, is now his next opponent, they will collide tonight for the vacant WBO Oriental welterweight title, a title that should Horn win – will more than likely catapult the Brisbane-born prospect into a top-fifteen world rating by the WBO.

 
“I am expecting a hard fight. Rivan is very slick, fast and can box well. I think this will be a similar fight to last time we met with hopefully no cuts,” Horn concludes. “I aim to get at least four fights in this year, I want to enter into the world rankings and hopefully get a shot at a few regional belts,” 
 

“If I can earn a world rating soon, I will be stoked and then I will be looking at reaching ten fights before heading overseas to fight for some big titles.”

 
 
Photo: Louie Abigail/Photography by Rockfingrz