JEFF Horn?s hardworking cutman says he has enough emergency medical supplies to outfit a mobile surgical hospital ahead of Sunday?s world title fight against Terence Crawford in Las Vegas.
Cutman Stephen Edwards hopes he?s brought all the gear for nothing but boxing can be a gory business.
After being forced to work overtime in Horn?s bloody victories against Manny Pacquiao and Gary Corcoran, Edwards has stocked up on the essentials for his line of work, with big supplies of adrenaline, petroleum jelly, absorbent gauze and cold pieces of flat stainless steel that reduce swellings from abrasions on a boxer?s face. Jeff Horn?s cutman Stephen Edwards with Gavin Cooper and Jonathan Thurston.
Edwards, a lawyer who now runs a major wholesale produce and logistics business in Rocklea, is emerging as one of the top cutmen in world boxing, working with Horn, world No.2 junior middleweight Denis Hogan, rising Australian champion Liam Paro and world cruiserweight title challenger Mark Flanagan among many others.
Horn says Edwards?s cool head in a crisis has been crucial to the boxer?s success.
?Stephen has been such an important man in my corner,?? Horn said.
?I can?t tell you how calming it is for me when I?m in a fight to know that I?ve got such a rock-solid person to help me when I need it.
?Hopefully he doesn?t have to do too much in the Crawford fight but if he has to go to work, I know I?ve got the best man with me.??
Edwards is part of Horn?s four-man corner team led by trainer Glenn Rushton which also includes Horn?s younger brother Ben and rising professional boxer Adam Copland.
He loves Horn like a son and the victory over Manny Pacquiao was life changing for them both.
?While I was caught up in interviews after the Pacquiao fight, Stephen went to the grandstand at Suncorp to celebrate with his wife Daochula,?? Horn said.
?When he saw her crying, he started crying too for probably the first time in more than 30 years.
?What we had all achieved together and the pride we felt as a band of brothers hit Stephen all at once. It was overwhelming for him.
?Sometimes people mistake Stephen or Glenn for my dad. I?m very lucky I have all three of them who love me like a son. ??
