Teacher turned world champion Jeff Horn has ended one of the greatest careers in the modern history of Aussie boxing by retiring at the age of 35.
Horn made the official decision on Sunday morning, the sixth anniversary of his most famous victory against boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, in front of 51,000 fans at Suncorp Stadium.
The former WBO welterweight champion says fighting no longer has a place in his heart and would like to spend more time with his wife Jo and three daughters.
Horn was also concerned about the health of his brain after recent scans and has decided to take the safer route and hang up the gloves.
“I could have taken $1 million for another fight, but my health is more important than wealth,” Horn said News Corp.
Jeff Horn hangs up the gloves on the sixth anniversary of his most famous triumph
Horn was also concerned about his brain health after recent scans and would like to spend more time with his family
“To be honest, I’ve had my concerns. I’ve been having some problems with my memory. I had some tests done on my brain and I was told that if I continued there was a high risk that things would get worse and my brain would suffer more.
“I have to protect myself because I want to be able to remember my children’s names and the big moments in their lives.
“You can’t do that when you’re dead drunk.”
Taking on the bullies
Horn was bullied so much as a child that he sometimes cried himself to sleep at night and even had suicidal thoughts.
The breaking point occurred when he and a friend were once surrounded by a mob of thirty and ordered to get on their knees by the leader.
Horn refused and punched him in the face.
That was enough for the gentle Horn. He started boxing and soon no one would mess with him anymore.
Now Horn is launching a campaign called Bullyproof to ensure the safety of schoolchildren across Queensland and the former champion hopes the government will join in to fund the blueprint.
Horribly bullied as a child, Horn has now launched a campaign called Bullyproof to ensure the safety of schoolchildren across Queensland
“This fight is now my most important thing in life,” Horn said.
“With this Bullyproof campaign, I want to fight for every schoolchild.
“I would give up my world title if it meant saving a child’s life from bullying.
“My eldest daughter is now in school and I want to make sure my children are safe and every child in Queensland has the right to learn to feel safe.”
A bizarre injury that almost derailed his career
In 2016, Horn suffered an injury that left him questioning his sanity while awaiting surgery to insert a titanium plate down his throat.
He was hit in the throat with a wide left hook while sparring 85 kg amateur Simon Cooper and was taken to hospital.
The injury derailed the biggest fight of his career at the time, against knockout king Randall Bailey, and required the Aussie to undergo surgery at Brisbane Private Hospital.
A freak throat injury nearly jeopardized Jeff Horn’s career
Horn then defeated the tenacious American veteran via technical knockout after seven rounds in a sold-out Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
It was a comprehensive win for the Aussie, the 14th of his professional career, and made Horn a true star on the rise in the fighting game.
The Manny Pacquiao fight
In a bout billed as the ‘Battle of Brisbane’, Horn became part of Australian sporting folklore by winning a unanimous decision over boxing superstar Pacquiao in 2017.
Earning scores of 117-111, 115-113 and 115-113 from the judges, Horn shocked the entire boxing world.
Referee Mark Nelson spoke to the unannounced Aussie in his corner and explained that he was willing to stop the fight unless he could show something in the 10th round.
“You’ve had enough,” Nelson said as Horn sank to his stool after a brutal ninth round
Horn became part of Australian sporting folklore by defeating boxing superstar Pacquiao
Horn and his team protested and Nelson softened.
Horn convinced Nelson that he could continue as he finished the 10th round before going toe-to-toe and throwing heavy punches with the Philippine superstar in the 11th and 12th.
Losing the title to Terence Crawford
Crawford defeated Horn by ninth-round technical knockout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas to claim the WBO welterweight title.
Crawford was a class ahead from start to finish, totally overpowering Horn to hand the Australian a comprehensive defeat – his first in 20 professional fights.
Referee Robert Byrd stopped the fight with 27 seconds left in the ninth round.
Horn said he was “disappointed” after the fight.
“I’m disappointed, but I’m not hurt at all. Things happen. First loss as a professional. I keep going, I can rebuild.
“He’s a tough boxer out there… I got a little predictable and started getting shaved too often.”
knocking out Anthony Mundine in 96 seconds
The highly anticipated middleweight bout between Jeff Horn and Anthony Mundine ended in stunning fashion after Mundine was knocked out less than two minutes into the clash.
Horn dominated the fight from start to finish, catching Mundine with body blows before delivering a devastating left hook that sent him sprawling to the canvas.
Horn destroyed Mundine in less than two minutes when they collided in 2018
Fight fans expressed their frustration at how short the event was via social media, calling it a joke.
Horn said the result was a “perfect night.”
“I’m very, very happy with the result… to finish it in a minute and a half,” he said.
“I think I learned that from my last fight, I was a little too stationary.”
Two fights with Michael Zerafa and loss to Tim Tszyu
Horn was beaten solidly by rising star Tim Tszyu in 2020 – and hasn’t fought since
Tim Tszyu stepped out of his father’s shadow and reclaimed his belts by dominating Horn in their super welterweight title fight in August 2020.
Tszyu controlled the entire fight and made Horn look second-rate.
Horn was brave and withstood plenty of punishment but offered little threat, and was reduced to struggling and trying to frustrate his opponent before his corner kick threw in the towel after eight rounds.
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