Jeff Horn puts Crawford cancellation aside to help Hurricane Hogan
After he struck a major blow to the career of the fighter everyone loved to love, Manny Pacquiao, there was respect if not massive adoration for Australian Jeff Horn.
The WBO welterweight World champion then went on to deny Connacht-Londoner Gary Corcoran victory which would serve to further irk Irish boxing supporters.
However, Horn’s actions this week have put him back in the good books of fight fans from this island.
The Aussie put aside one of the biggest disappointments a fighter could face to help out Kildare World title hopeful Dennis Hogan [26(7)-1(0)-1] as he prepares for a massive World title eliminator.
After hearing his massive Las Vegas clash with pound-for-pound star Terence Crawford next month at the Mandalay Bay was cancelled due to an injury to the American, most would have expected Horn to take some time out.
When a long hard camp is followed by disappointment rather than a fight, a break would certainly prove the norm and some degree of wallowing would be expected.
However, within hours of hearing the news, Horn [18(12)-0-1] was back in the gym helping Kilcullen’s Hogan prepare for an upcoming bout.
After facing the media to explain the Crawford fight had to be pushed back due to the Top Rank fighter’s hand injury Horn was back at the Stretton Boxing Club in Brisbane helping out his mate.
Hurricane Hogan faces Jimmy Kelly at the Brisbane Convention Centre on Saturday April 7th in a WBO light middleweight world title eliminator and his stablemate wasn’t going to leave him without sparring.
Hogan had served as chief sparring partner for Horn in the build-up to the Pacquiao fight, and Horn has made sure to continue returning the favour.
“He’s a great ambassador for the country, and he showed his incredible courage and what Australia’s all about,” Horn and Hogan’s trainer, coach Rushton, told Sporting News.
“Jeff came in today and sparred again with Dennis Hogan, who’s number three in the world and has a big fight coming up.”
“So Jeff’s come in and helped his clubmate out today and sparred, as much as he didn’t feel like it.”
“He’s a great guy and doing the right thing. That’s the sort of tough guy he is. He does the right thing.”
A new date for Horn-Crawford is yet to be announced. Initially due to take place in Vegas on April 14th, Mick Conlan was set to feature on the undercard ahead of a Belfast homecoming in the Summer.
Conlan, who boxes tomorrow night at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, will now have to have a change of plans. Should he, as expected, defeat David Berna in New York, a new date around April will most likely be sourced ahead of his first Belfast bout as a pro.
32-year-old Hogan – who himself is yet to fight in Ireland as a pro – will take on Kelly with a title fight against the winner of champion Sadam Ali’s defence against Liam Smith on offer.
The Kelly fight will be Hogan’s second since linking up with Rushton. Their first bout together saw a better-than-ever Hogan dominate top Japanese fighter Yuki Nonaka.
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