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Horn vindicated by fight review

Jeff Horn has welcomed a World Boxing Organisation review that has concluded he was the true victor of his welterweight title fight against Manny Pacquiao.

Jul 11, 2017, updated Jul 11, 2017
Jeff Horn celebrates defeating Manny Pacquiao in their WBO World Welterweight title fight at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. Photo: Dan Peled / AAP

Jeff Horn celebrates defeating Manny Pacquiao in their WBO World Welterweight title fight at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. Photo: Dan Peled / AAP

The 29-year-old Australian said it was “super timing” as he prepared to board a flight to the US, where he is set to meet some of the biggest critics of his contentious points win over Pacquiao at the ESPY Awards on Wednesday night in Los Angeles.

“It gives me evidence behind me that I can just use now. Instead of saying I think I won the fight, now a heap of other people – professionally – think I won the fight,” Horn told reporters at Brisbane Airport this morning.

“It’s definitely nice to have it finally put on paper.

“I thought I’d won the fight on the day and I think Pacquiao thought it as well. Now just to have it clear in front of us is good.”

The WBO ordered the fight be re-scored after a call by a Filipino government department to review the ‘Battle of Brisbane’ on July 2, which Horn won by unanimous decision.

Five anonymous judges reviewed the fight, determining Horn won the first, second, fourth, sixth, seventh, 10th and 12th rounds, while others were scored in favour of Pacquiao.

Three of the five judges had to be in agreement to determine a winner from each round.

Those results were cross-analysed with the scores of original judges Waleksa Roldan, Chris Flores and Ramon Cerdan to find the percentage agreement by round, with Horn winning six rounds to four, and the other two rounds even.

Horn was always confident he would be vindicated, despite a hysterical reaction from US and Filipino fight fans who believed Pacquiao should have won.

“It’s been good to clarify it because they have argued it. (Now) you can’t dispute anything,” he said.

Horn said he was looking forward to soaking in the “glitz and glamour” of the ESPYs, where he will be officially introduced to US audiences for the first time.

But he will not be seeking out ESPN presenter Teddy Atlas, one of the biggest critics of the result who told Horn immediately after the bout that he thought he shouldn’t have won.

“He kind of annoyed me a little bit after the fight. I’m on my highest moment and he’s kind of dragged me down straight away,” Horn said.

“I’m not really a big fan anymore.”

WBO REVIEW SCORES

Judge 1: Pacquiao (114-113)

Judge 2: Draw (114-114)

Judge 3: Horn (115-113)

Judge 4: Horn (114-113)

Judge 5: Horn (114-113)

ORIGINAL SCORES

W. Roldan: Horn (117-111)

C. Flores: Horn (115-113)

R. Cerdan: Horn (115-113)

-AAP

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