ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK.
That?s the instruction this week to Jeff Horn?s sparring partner Czar Amonsot as Brisbane?s Fighting Schoolteacher is called upon to withstand the most vicious sustained assault he?s ever faced with less than three weeks until his moment of truth against Manny Pacquiao at Suncorp Stadium on July 2.
In the final stages of his preparation, Horn will be pushed to breaking point every day to prepare himself for the Filipino fireball who will put his World Boxing Organisation welterweight title on the line along with a solid gold reputation as one of boxing?s all-time greats.
Horn?s trainer Glenn Rushton, who 11 years ago first taught him how to throw a punch, has now warned Horn that his sparring partner will be going all out ?with everything he?s got.?
?I want Czar Amonsot to attack, attack, attack,?? Rushton said.
?I want him to go after Jeff the way that Manny will go after him. I want real intensity, real non-stop aggression.
?I want Jeff to be in tough fights in the gym before the real fight with Manny begins.??
Although Amonsot is not as fast as Pacquiao, he is the No. 4 ranked junior-welterweight (63kg) in the world and he is a strong, tough and aggressive southpaw (left-hander) like Pacquiao.
?He?s the best sparring partner we could find,?? Rushton said, ?no one in the world fights exactly like Manny Pacquiao ? with all his speed and odd angles ? but Czar is doing a good job and I really want him to put the pressure on Jeff over the next two weeks so that Jeff is absolutely primed and ready to go on July 2.
?I believe Jeff will be the toughest fight of Manny?s career. Manny has an incredible reputation and enormous experience but he can?t beat Jeff with reputation and he can?t hit him with experience.
?When the bell goes it will be two well-conditioned fighters in the ring and the one who has prepared best will win.
Horn also faces two more gruelling weeks of work with strength and conditioning coach Dundee Kim, who is pushing him to the limit on the punching pads.
Horn said: ?The whole idea is to do the gruelling stuff now so that I know I?m capable of anything against Manny.
?My legs are going to be so important in this fight and I?ve done so much leg-strengthening work. Controlling the gap against Manny will be crucial, staying out of range and then striking when I?m ready.??
Horn will put in the two toughest weeks of his campaign before tapering in the final week before the fight.
While Pacquiao walks around at about 66kg and has no trouble making the 66.7kg welterweight weight, Horn is a naturally bigger man who undergoes a strict diet and fluid reduction to fight as a welterweight.
With rehydration and a return to his normal diet, Horn could be as much as 6kg heavier than Pacquiao when they climb into the ring.
Pacquiao?s trainer Freddie Roach told The Courier-Mail that while ?upsets can happen?? in boxing, Pacquiao is not taking Horn lightly, and knows he has to bring his ?A game?? to Brisbane. Pacquiao will train for the fight at the Lang Park PCYC in the week before the bout.
?A win for Horn would be tremendous for his career but we can?t let that happen,? Roach said.
?Horn is a good fighter, a good counter-puncher and he likes to trade shots.
?Manny hasn?t scored a knockout for a while (since Miguel Cotto in 2009) and we?re due for another one. I?m hoping to see another knockout by Manny Pacquiao in Brisbane.?
