But the other reason why he failed to score a KO win in the last eight years could also be attributed to the tough opponents that his promoter Bob Arum had put in front of him.
Except for Chris Algieri and Jessie Vargas, Pacquiao fought the toughest opponents in the sport since 2010 or one year after he knocked Cotto in the last round of their title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.
They include, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Timothy Bradley, Juan Manuel Marquez, Shane Mosley, Antonio Margarito, Brandon Rios and Joshua Clottey.
Jeff Horn is nowhere in the level of these former Pacquiao opponents in terms of experience, skill and power.
While Horn is a promising boxer with skill and power that could still be enhanced or developed with more fights ahead of him, he isn’t yet in the level of Pacquiao who has a career spanning over two decades.
Arum’s choice of Horn has surprised fight fans because the Australian challenger hasn’t figured yet in a major world title fight. It would seem insulting for Arum to compel Pacquiao to accept Horn as his next foe given the fighting senator’s credentials.
A peek at Horn’s career record show that he turned pro about four years ago in 2013. He has never fought professionally outside Australia and many of his past opponents were relatively unknown with the exception of Ali Funeka and Randall Bailey, who were former welterweight champions. Read more:
Horn is 29 and stands 5’9″ with a reach of 68.” He is credited with 17 pro fights, winning 16 with a draw. He is an orthodox fighter.
In contrast, Pacquiao is 38 and stands 5’6″ with a reach of 67. ” He has fought 68 times as a pro, winning 59 with six losses and two draws. Pacquiao is a southpaw.
Clearly, Horn has two inches advantage in height and one inch in reach. But oftentimes, height and reach do not matter in many of Pacquiao’s previous fights.
Pacquiao had fought taller opponents including Antonio Margarito, Jessie Vargas, Brandon Rios and Joshue Clottey. He won over these towering opponents using his speed and power.
Horn is definitely a good boxer, having won 16 of his seventeen pro fights but facing Pacquiao in the ring with his limited credential is premature if not downright farcical.
Horn and his handlers could be looking at the financial reward in a Pacquiao fight and for that reason, the Australian teacher could suffer his first career loss by way of knock out in six rounds or less.
