As fast as a speeding “Hornet”.

In an all-Australian middleweight showdown, former WBO welterweight titleholder Jeff Horn didn’t waste any time in disposing of Anthony Mundine, halting the rugged veteran in a single round at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia. There were a couple of unpronounceable fringe belts at stake in a bout that was scheduled for 12.

Horn, who is rated No. 9 by The Ring at welterweight, moved up to an agreed upon catchweight limit of 156.5 pounds to make this domestic matchup possible. The weight was not a factor, however, as the former titleholder exploded out of the blocks and finished his man with a left hook to the temple. The shot didn’t look particularly heavy but it was accurate. The official time was 1:36.

This was two fighters at opposite ends of their careers. The 30-year-old Horn (19-1-1, 13 knockouts) scored a controversial 12-round unanimous decision over Manny Pacquiao to claim his world title in July of last year. He had one successful defense, against Englishman Gary Corcoran, before being stopped by pound-for-pound entrant Terence Crawford in June. Horn may not be elite, but he’s still a handful.

On the other hand, Mundine is 43 years old and he has now lost five of his last nine fights. If you’re looking through his resume for a significant win at top level, then you would be going back several years. Mundine, who once held a WBA “regular” super middleweight belt, was once able to compete against solid opposition, but he has overstayed his welcome. He retired during his post-fight interview after 18 years as a professional. His final record is 48-9 (28 KOs).

Tom Gray is Associate Editor for Ring Magazine. Follow him on Twitter: @Tom_Gray_Boxing

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