greats. Occasionally, Horn would let the teenagers punch him in the
stomach, “to show them about conditioning work”.
Interestingly, it was primary-school teaching Horn enjoyed most.
“Year 2s were probably a favourite. I liked to sit down with them and
read them a story – to watch how
much excitement they could get
out of it and just how much they
love it.”
There’s something of the kid
and that same sense of wonder
still firmly rooted in Horn.
He’s also softly spoken, gentle
in manner – not as you’d expect
of a conquering sportsman
whose profession is to brutalise
another with fists.
“A lot of people pick up on that
- you know, that I’m this ‘gentle
guy’ and have this ‘soft side’. But get me in a competitive situation and
I switch on – I have this ability to do that, to switch on and off. And get
me in a ring and I’m there, 100 per cent focused on what I have to do.”
He explains things quite simply – “my job in the ring is to hit
a person more than they hit me. And to show the judges, and
everyone watching, that’s what I’m doing.”
While that’s exactly what he did to Pacquiao in early July –
beyond Australia, a chorus of discontent erupted about Horn’s win.
Because, they wailed, on count back, Horn had clearly lost. Because,
really, how could an unknown Australian school teacher bring
down one of boxing’s best?
Regardless that the WBO conducted an independent score
review – which also found in favour of Horn – the naysayers, among
them British former heavyweight boxer, Lennox Lewis, and NBA
great, Kobe Bryant, remained vocal and filled with disbelief.
Respected ESPN fight commentator Teddy Atlas said the decision
“stunk”, that “they gave a trophy – a win – to Horn, the local kid,
for trying hard. You’re not supposed to get it for trying hard.
You’re supposed to get it for winning,” barked Atlas. “I thought
Pacquiao won the fight if you go by the real rules.”
Then, actor and peddler of sports gambling in this country,
Samuel L Jackson, took to Twitter: “Uhhhhhhh, can u say bullshit??!!
Manny got fucked!!!!”
Horn shuffles a little uneasily on discussing the backlash – about
the fact some chose to call him
out and tarnish what he has
achieved. It’s clear the
commentary irks him –
especially the slap down from
Atlas. And while you feel
there’d be other words chosen
to describe such privately – to
call out those who felt the need
to do so to him – publicly, he
remains calm and gentlemanly.
“I guess, at the end of the day,
it’s just disappointing, all that
ranting from those guys,”he offers. “And I know they have the right to an opinion, though,
maybe, sometimes it should stay to themselves. People in the
limelight, they can brainwash others, you know. And some people
who didn’t even watch the fight then jump on board, ‘Yeah, how
can he beat Pacquiao?’”
It’s why Horn’s so set on a rematch. The feeling is that it’s
destined to happen, though not as early as first anticipated,
the Filipino focusing on his political duties as a federal senator
(really) for now.
“I do hope it happens as I want to be the only person who’s beaten
him twice. He usually comes back and wins, though I don’t think
he’ll do that with me... It’s a waiting game now, but there’s a
possibility of it happening next year if he chooses to do so.”
For now, Horn’s concentrating on the arrival of his first child –
a daughter – in January and, prior to that, a December clash with
well-regarded Englishman Gary Corcoran.
And isn’t there a movie script to write too?
“You’ve been talking to Glenn – yeah, he keeps saying my story
should be a film, that there’s a film in what we’ve done. Maybe,
we’ll see. Just as long as Mark Wahlberg plays me.” n“My job is to hit
a person more than
they hit me, and to
show the judges that’s
what I’m doing.”
GROOMING: EVIE GOLDING.182 GQ.COM.AU MEN OF THE YEAR 2017