Pacquiao ready for WBO title fight against Horn as he looks for Mayweather rematch

Manny Pacquiao and Jeff Horn. From Reuters video file.

BRISBANE, Australia (Reuters) – Manny Pacquiao said on Wednesday (June 28) that he has trained hard and is ready to defend his WBO welterweight belt against former schoolteacher and rank outsider Jeff Horn in Brisbane on Sunday (July 2).

The 38-year-old Filipino, who is seeking a dominant win over Horn to try to coax Floyd Mayweather Jr into a re-match, said his trainers Freddie Roach and Justin Fortune have had to stop him from working too hard in the gym as he prepares for the fight against his Australian opponent.

Pacquiao was defeated by American Mayweather in a unanimous points decision in Las Vegas in 2015.

Mayweather, who retired in 2015 with an unbeaten record of 49-0, has agreed to come out of retirement for a 12-round fight against mixed martial arts champion Conor McGregor.
Pacquiao has failed to win by knockout since a 12th round TKO win over Miguel Cotto in 2009 but Pacquiao said he was primed to cause a stoppage against 29-year-old Horn, who is undefeated in 17 fights against mostly obscure opponents.

The ‘Battle of Brisbane’ at Lang Park, a 55,000-seat venue used mainly for professional rugby matches, is the biggest fight in decades ‘Down Under,’ throwing Pacquiao’s unheralded opponent Horn into a huge spotlight.