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Sports

'Boxing teacher' stuns with win over Pacquiao

July 2, 2017

Australian boxer Jeff Horn has stunned world champion Manny Pacquiao, clinching a points-win. Pacquiao's trainer had predicted his bout against Horn, dubbed the "fighting schoolteacher," would be "short and sweet."

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Jeff Horn gewinnt gegen Manny Pacquiao in Australien
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/T. Pickard

Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao succumbed to a surprise defeat on Sunday in his bout with Australian outsider Jeff Horn.

Pacquiao appeared to land far more punches than his rival, packaged as "the boxing schoolteacher" by promoters. But - in one of the biggest upsets in recent boxing history - judges awarded the WBO welterweight title win to Horn in a unanimous points-decision of 117-111, 115-113, 115-113.

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Horn, a 29-year-old former schoolteacher who turned professional boxer after reaching the Olympic quarterfinals, applied much of the pressure in the early rounds.

Jeff Horn versus Manny Pacquiao in Australia
Pacquiao needed treatment during the 6th and 7th rounds after sustaining a cut on his headImage: picture alliance/AP Photo/T. Pickard

A star is born?

The 38-year-old Pacquiao suffered a cut above the right eye in round two, and appeared knocked off his stride by the Australian's aggressive approach. Pacquiao - a senator in the upper house of the Congress of the Philippines - battled back and dominated later on, but it was not enough.

"A star has been born," declared the announcer, after Horn was named winner of what has been dubbed the "Battle of Brisbane." The fight took place before a crowd of some 50,000 people at the Suncorp Stadium, in Horn's hometown.

"I'm so happy, I can't explain my feelings," Horn said at ringside. "I've just believed since I was very young that I could do this."

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Pacquiao's long-time trainer Freddie Roach had predicted the fight would be short and sweet. After the match, Pacquiao conceded gracefully. 

"Very tough. I didn't expect that tough," Pacquiao said. "It's okay, it's part of the game. That's the decision of the judges, I respect that."

rc/shs (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)