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Jeff Horn believes Conor McGregor is in big trouble

Jeff Horn celebrates his huge upset victory over Manny Pacquiao.
Fighters Network
26
Aug

Unbeaten WBO welterweight titleholder Jeff Horn pulled off a monumental upset when he dethroned Manny Pacquiao in Brisbane, Australia, last month so he is familiar with tearing up the script.

In a matter of hours, Conor McGregor attempts the impossible at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Floyd Mayweather rarely absorbs a flush punch. He rarely loses rounds. He never loses fights. However, McGregor, a decorated UFC superstar, will look to defeat the former five-weight world champion in his first professional boxing match.

Horn, who is rated No. 8 by THE RING at 147 pounds, can relate to McGregor’s quest but cannot foresee any way that the Irishman can prevail in Mayweather’s office.

“I think McGregor will come at him and Mayweather will be forced to weather the storm early on,” said Horn, who is closing in on a deal for the Pacquiao rematch. “I just think McGregor will tire quickly and Mayweather will tear him to pieces and probably stop him. Or Mayweather coming at him might force McGregor to throw an elbow or a knee or something and he’ll get himself disqualified.



“McGregor isn’t used to boxing and if Mayweather comes at him, like he says he’s going to, then he won’t know what to do. McGregor has been doing MMA for years and he’s not used to being in a boxing ring with someone applying severe pressure. I just don’t see it being a Conor McGregor fight even though he’s the younger, bigger, fresher man. That means absolutely nothing when you don’t have the boxing skills to compete against one of the best fighters ever.”

The 29-year-old Horn (17-0-1, 11 knockouts) represented his native Australia at the 2012 Olympics before turning professional. He has been around boxing for years and has forgotten more about the sport than McGregor will ever know.

So how would Horn look to defuse a novice like McGregor?

“I would walk him down and pick him to pieces,” Horn said. “I would block whatever he threw at me, which would be those big winging punches, and it would just depend on how open he was. I would pick him off or I would maybe just go for the big punches and look to end it.

“If McGregor ever wants to fight, that would be the ideal scenario for me. Mayweather has said no and he’s heard that I’ve been calling him out. He said no chance, that he’s retiring for good, so I doubt I’ll get him. But if McGregor somehow beat Mayweather, then I’d definitely go after McGregor – that’s for sure.”

Pacquiao’s defeat at the hands of Horn was one thing. McGregor getting the better of Mayweather would be something else entirely.

 

Tom Gray is a UK Correspondent/ Editor for RingTV.com and a member of THE RING ratings panel.  Follow him on Twitter: @Tom_Gray_Boxing

 

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