Former welterweight titleholder Jeff Horn is set to return to the ring on Aug. 31 in Australia, when he faces countryman Michael Zerafa in a 12-round middleweight bout, defending the WBA Oceania title he won against Anthony Mundine last November.
Should Horn (19-1-1, 13 KO) come through with a victory as expected, ESPN reports that there are already plans to match the 31-year-old “Hornet” against WBA “world” titleholder Ryota Murata, with the winner of that fight then obligated to face Rob Brant, who has a rematch clause following his loss to Murata in July, and has said he plans to exercise it.
Murata (15-2, 12 KO) and Horn could surely do big business for a fight, as Murata is very popular in Japan as a former Olympic gold medalist and now what you can call a two-time world champion as a pro if you’re being nice, and who doesn’t like being nice? And Horn has a lot of name value, too, as a man who beat Manny Pacquiao if you’re being nice. Let’s just be nice.
Zerafa (26-3, 15 KO) shouldn’t be totally counted out against Horn, I suppose — I mean if Horn doesn’t take it seriously or something, it could be an issue. Zerafa, 27, is a limited fighter, but always game.
If we get Murata-Horn, who do you like in that one?