Pacquiao (59-6-2, 38 KOs) is best known for his speed and power while Horn (16-0-1, 11 KOs) is known for his punching power and great timing. But they are miles apart in terms of skill and ring experience.
Speed and power kill as the saying goes. In boxing the rule is to hit the target accurately and not to get hit in a counter punch. That is why boxers are reminded to protect themselves at all times because their defenses could spell victory or defeat.
Admittedly, Pacquiao has the combined speed and power to score a win over Horn because the unbeaten Australian is an open target for a quick and speedy fighter like Pacquiao.
If Chris Algieri, who fought Pacquiao in 2014 moves a bit slower than Horn, they would resemble each other’s fighting style. But even if Horn decides to run as Algieri did, he would still get caught because of Pacquiao’s hand and foot speed.
Horn is almost stationary in the ring with his head not moving much in contrast with Pacquiao’s constant head movement which is quite difficult to hit even if the opponent has a good punching accuracy.
If Horn engages Pacquiao in a real close exchanges as he is expected to do as it is part of his fighting style, he might regret it because Pacquiao likes his opponent to engage in a toe-to-toe encounter. Pacquiao capitalizes on his speed in close encounter situations.
Still, Horn is preparing well for the most challenging fight of his career and if he is lucky he may just pull off the upset on July 2.
For about two weeks now, Horn has been sparring Filipino veteran Czar Amonsot, who has not lost a single fight since losing to Michael Katsidis in 2007. Amonsot is now on his 18-fight winning streak.
Amonsot is a great fighter but he isn’t the right spar mate for Horn considering that he doesn’t resemble Pacquiao’s fighting style.
Seemingly, the only compelling reason for the choice of Amonsot in his preparation for the Pacquiao fight is his being a southpaw like Pacquiao. Amonsot is a brawler but he isn’t known for his foot and hand speed.
Amonsot does not have the speed of Pacquiao though he moves with significant mobility in the ring but not enough to address Pacquiao’s foot and hand speed.
If Horn wants to familiarize himself with Pacquiao’s fighting style, he needs to spar with someone who has the speed and power of Pacquiao. Read more:
Two weeks before the fight, Horn is still reported to be sparring Amonsot and if there is no alternate spar mate forthcoming, Horn may have a hard time finding a solution to deal with Pacquiao’s foot and hand speed on fight night.
