Martin Luther King Jr. once said that “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” And, while those words of wisdom were applied to the real world of social injustice, they also apply just as well to the world of boxing.
Back in July of 2017, Jeff Horn was given a gift decision against defending WBO welterweight champ Manny Pacquiao in his hometown of Brisbane, Australia. But three years later, Horn is trending well downward and Pacquiao is way up high. The Real Story of Pacquiao-Horn
The underdog Horn was plucky and game and did a lot better than most had anticipated against the Filipino icon. His size and awkward, unpolished style kept Pacquiao unsure of himself in the early rounds– something that allowed for the unheralded challenger to keep things close. However, by the middle rounds, Manny was firmly in control. Horn was doing little more than pushing forward and falling into sloppy, non-scoring mauls that succeeded in opening two cuts on either side of the champ’s head. It seemed to be the case of an overachieving tough guy simply being outclassed over the long haul by a better, more talented, and more experienced fighter. Pacquiao had landed twice as many scoring shots over twelve rounds.
Then, the decision was read. Horn was given a unanimous decision, with judge Waleska Roldan issuing an unconscionable 117-111 score in the Aussie’s favor. The scores flew in the face of those delivered by ESPN’s own analysts and by most every media boxing expert.
But, in the long run, Horn got little from being gifted the win (and the belt). Losing, Despite Winning
After a gimme defense at home, Horn was tossed to the lion(s). He was battered from pillar to post (and stopped in the ninth round) by welterweight-incoming unified junior welter champ Terence Crawford. He would return home without a belt and without much of his professional dignity. After such a sound thrashing, his run as a main stage player would be over.
Post-Crawford, “The Hornet” would have a meaningless bout with fellow Aussie has-been Anthony Mundine. Then, he’d meander into a loss and a win against space-filler Michael Zerafa. Now, he’s looking to grab another regional payday against second-generation fighter Tim Tszyu later this summer. Jump-starting a Pacquiao Resurgence
Meanwhile, Pacquiao has been doing nothing but rising back to the top since the Horn loss. The reports of his demise had been greatly exaggerated.
Dominant wins over Lucas Matthysse and Adrien Broner followed. Then a close, quality victory over top 3 welterweight Keith Thurman. The players at 147 are all unanimously grasping at the chance to face Manny next. The boxing world is, nearly literally, at his feet, almost like it was 2009 once again.
To repeat: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”
Sooner or later, no matter how much you try to hold something down or prop something up, everything eventually settles back to its own level. Pacquiao is elite. Horn is not. Period.
