Anthony Mundine says Jeff Horn’s trainer may get the ex-world boxing champion hurt if they pursue plans to earn a re-match with American Terence Crawford.
Horn’s trainer Glenn Rushton revealed their camp was still seething over the way the Australian lost his WBO world welterweight belt to Crawford in June, insisting the fight was called off too early by officials.
Considered the world’s best pound for pound boxer, Crawford dominated Horn to earn a ninth-round stoppage victory at Las Vegas – the Australian’s first career loss.
Rushton said they would use the November 30 71kg catchweight fight with Mundine in Brisbane to show Horn was a worthy contender for Crawford, with plans for a 2019 Suncorp Stadium re-match.
“We thought the (Crawford) fight was stopped too soon. We are seething after that – it hurt Jeff,” he said.
“Jeff wants to come back here and dazzle (against Mundine), put on a performance that he still has the fire in the belly, en route to another world title.”
However Mundine believed Rushton’s attitude may get Horn hurt, saying Crawford outclassed the Australian “pretty badly” in their June bout and was never going to lose the fight.
“I just hope we come out healthy,” Mundine said.
“Sometimes Glenn’s a bit delusional. He believes he’s going to go and he’ll beat Crawford in the next round.
“He’s gonna get his boy in trouble, and he could get hurt.”
Rushton was adamant Horn (18-1-1 record) still had plenty in the tank against Crawford and believed he could not only book a Suncorp Stadium re-match as early as next year but also turn the tables on the American.
“We would dearly love to have Crawford here in a year or so with two or three fights in the interim,” Rushton said.
“When we get him (Crawford) back here Jeff would have had a lot more experience and we are very confident we can turn the tables.”
However Horn’s camp are not taking 43-year-old Mundine lightly, especially after ex-three-time world champion announced the fight would be the last of his 18-year career, vowing to expose the former school teacher as “hype”.
“This is a tough comeback fight. I don’t underestimate Anthony Mundine at all,” Rushton said.
“Bernard Hopkins won a world title at 46, George Foreman won at 44. If you are hungry, the years don’t matter.”