Former WBO welterweight champion Jeff ‘The Hornet’ Horn 19-1-1 (13) has questioned the relevance of Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman 29-0 (22) after the WBA 147-pound champion laboured to a 12-round points win over Josesito Lopez 36-8 (19) at Brooklyn’s Barclay Center last Saturday night.
In his first fight in 22-months the 30-year-old Thurman decked Lopez in the second frame but was rocked himself in the seventh when the ‘Riverside Rocky’ came on strong in the middle rounds. When the dust settled, Thurman retained his title by majority decision by scores of 115-111, 117-109 and 113-113.
“I think Thurman’s last fight was sloppy. However, I do think there was a lot of rust to be taken off,” Horn, 30, said to Forbes.
“I didn’t see anything about Thurman that would worry me. Of course, I would like to fight [Manny] Pacquiao again but I don’t think he wants anything to do with that. Basically, I am chasing a big fight. I feel like I need a challenge to show the best of myself.
Returning to the subject of Thurman, Horn reminded the Clearwater, Florida native of his earlier comments.
“I remember him saying no one is worried about Jeff Horn. I could say that about him now,” he said.
Horn claimed the WBO welterweight championship with a surprise 12-round points decision over Pacquiao in front of a home crowd of more than 50,000 people at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium in July 2017.
The Queensland brawler made one successful title defence against Britain’s Gary Corcoran the following December before losing his world championship to pound-for-pound rated American Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford in June last year.
In his last outing Horn stopped a shopworn Anthony Mundine in 96 seconds in a catchweight bout at 156-pounds.
Horn’s team have said they are open to big-money fights anywhere from welterweight through to middleweight, with promoter Dean Lonergan expecting his charge will compete in one of the higher weight classes.
“I like him at junior middleweight or middleweight,” Lonergan said.
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