WHO?S next in line to get stung by The Hornet?
Expect a formal announcement within days about the latest challenger getting ready to climb in the boxing ring with Jeff Horn.
But City Beat can reveal it?s a formidable but little-known Pom named Bradley Skeete, who is currently ranked third in the world in the welter weight division with 27 wins and 1 defeat.
With a nod and a wink, Horn?s trainer, Glenn Rushton, let the proverbial cat out of the bag yesterday during a business breakfast at the Marriott in Brisbane.
Although he couldn?t formally divulge the name, Rushton revealed that Horn would defend his world title against a 6ft 1in (185cm) champion English boxer.
A quick process of elimination on smart phones allowed the 140-strong crowd to work out the name with little trouble.
Among those connecting the dots were bizoids Greg Booker, Karen Mueller, Ben Ward, John Prickett, Damien Frawley and Dave McAdam.
Rugby league legend Petero Civoniceva and heavyweight boxer Joe Goodall, who just won bronze at the world championships, were also on hand at the event, sponsored by Horn backers Recon Solutions.
Look for Horn and Skeete to duke it out at Brisbane?s convention centre on November 25.
The smaller venue will mean higher ticket prices but a climate-controlled interior for optimal conditions.
Meanwhile, there?s still talk that Horn may clash again sometime next year with Manny Pacquiao. The former champ lost his crown to Horn during a sensational 12-round fight at Suncorp Stadium in July.
BIG SLICE OF PAIN
DOMINO?S boss Don Meij has just wrapped up a massive share selldown in the pizza giant, pocketing $17.5 million. It emerged yesterday that Meij had offloaded 410,000 shares at $42.90 a piece as part of an effort to settle tax and divorce obligations.
That followed his sale of 300,000 shares last month to reap $13.5 million. Sounds like some pretty onerous obligations forced his hand!
Despite the diminished portfolio, Meij took home $21 million in realised pay last year and still has plenty of skin in the game.
The company said yesterday he exercised 300,000 share options at $22.89 and they remain in escrow until October 2019. That?s on top of the 2.2 million shares Meij still owns directly and through a family trust. At yesterday?s closing price of $42.58, they were worth a cool $97 million.
REWRITING HISTORY
TO celebrate three years of staying clean, Brisbane real estate agent Ryan McCann announced recently that he had treated himself to his ?dream car??, a Mercedes Benz AMG C 63 S sedan.
?A lot has happened in my last three years from personal failings in 2014 which were exaggerated in the media,?? he wrote on LinkedIn.
Exaggerated? McCann was hit with an 18-month suspended sentence in 2015 after pleading guilty to 24 charges of supplying dangerous drugs to friends and business associates.
That followed a police raid on his home, which uncovered ?ice?? in a secret panel in his kitchen. It was an amazing fall for a bloke who once earned up to $500,000 a year and had been named one of the nation?s top agents.
McCann, who admitted to a $1400 a week habit himself, apologised after blaming work stress and a relationship breakdown. ?I am remorseful, I am embarrassed. I disappointed clients, I disappointed family,?? he said before sentencing.
Now principal of First National in Cleveland, McCann claims he was the group?s top-selling agent in Queensland last year and 5th nationally.
He was overseas yesterday and did not respond to an email seeking comment.
