Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Thursday 13 July 2017
Horn feels ‘relief’ after judging review, welcomes rematch

By GREG BEACHAM a department of the Philip- Pacquiao landed plenty of
AP Sports Writer pines government, which shots, Horn credits his persis-
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jeff requested the WBO’s offi- tence for the result — along
Horn already felt confi- cial review of the scores. with his resilience after he
dent he had won his bout Three of the five indepen- was rocked in the ninth
with Manny Pacquiao, no dent judges awarded the round.
matter what Filipino gov- fight to Horn (17-0-1, 11 “At the end of that (ninth)
ernment officials or U.S. KOs), and an aggregation round, I actually didn’t feel
television commentators of those judges’ scores also that bad,” Horn said. “But
thought. favored the new champ. when (the referee) came
When an independent re- “I felt like I had won, so if it over and said, ‘Show me
view this week affirmed the had come back with (the something,’ I was just like,
three ringside judges’ de- independent judges) say- ‘Hold on a second, I’m not
cision, the new WBO wel- ing I hadn’t, I would have that bad!’ I’m pretty good
terweight champion took still felt like I did anyway,” at that stage. I thought, ‘All
the news as yet another Horn said Tuesday over right, I’ll show you some-
victory. lunch in downtown Los An- thing over the next few
“I feel like I’ve defended WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn, of Australia, gestures geles, where he is attend- rounds.’” Horn’s enjoyment
the title again already, while his wife, Jo, looks on in downtown Los Angeles on Tues- ing ESPN’s sports awards of his victory in the frenzied
day, July 11, 2017.
and I’ve only had it for a Associated Press show on Wednesday. “But stadium was dampened in
week,” Horn said after ar- to have them say that ev- his post-fight interview with
riving in California from his to bed now that I definitely I would do even better the eryone else that studied it Atlas, who flatly told Horn
native Australia. won the fight, because second time.” (felt) I had definitely won that he disagreed with the
After claiming Pacquiao’s they re-scored it,” Horn While Horn and many the fight gives me another decision.
147-pound title July 2 in a said. “But people are al- of the 51,000 fans in Bris- sense of relief.” “To hear someone like him
stunning upset, Horn would ways going to have their bane’s Suncorp Stadium Horn, whose fight injuries al- say it straight to my face
welcome the chance to opinions, and you’re never agreed with the three ready have healed nicely, was a little bit heartbreak-
leave no doubt in any- going to change some of ringside judges’ verdict, pressured Pacquiao (59-7- ing,” Horn said. “But I eas-
body’s mind in a second those. I guess the only way Pacquiao was seen as the 2) for 12 rounds and forced ily just forget. I kind of lost a
bout with Pacquiao. to do it is to do it again, to winner by everyone from the eight-division cham- little bit of respect for Teddy
“I kind of feel it’s been put have a rematch, and I think ESPN analyst Teddy Atlas to pion to back up. While after that.”q