Pacquiao vs. Horn Pick
Manny Pacquiao makes his return to the boxing ring tonight to defend his WBO Welterweight Championship against Jeff Horn. Can Pac-Man pick up the win?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Pacquiao is the clear favorite to retain his title, as he is getting a money line of -600 to win. Horn, the challenger, is listed with +400 odds to get the victory. These two will meet up tonight from Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia. The fight will air live on ESPN, with the main card beginning at 9PM ET.
Pacquiao steps into tonight’s fight with a record of 59-6-2 in his career. He has won 38 fights by knockout. His last bout came in November of 2016, with a decision win over Jessie Vargas. Pacquiao has won two fights by decision since his May 2015 loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. Pac-Man hasn’t picked up a KO victory since November of 2009 against Miguel Cotto. Pacquiao was always known for his power, but that hasn’t really been on display in many years.
Horn is the underdog, but will be fighting in his hometown tonight. He comes into this fight with a record of 16-0-1 with 11 knockouts. His last bout was in December of last year, a sixth-round TKO win over Ali Funeka. His last two wins have been by TKO. He has never actually fought outside of Australia, so his competition level is somewhat limited. Horn certainly has good power and is the much younger fighter at 29 years of age, compared to Pacquiao’s 38.
This fight actually provides some interesting aspects. Is Pacquiao’s age catching up with him? Is Horn really as good as his record indicates? Pacquiao is risking a lot by facing Horn in his hometown. There isn’t much for the legend to gain while Horn has little to lose. Horn can go out in a blaze of glory in front of his friends and family. I don’t think betting on Horn is a bad idea, but I also am going to side with Pac-Man for my pick. My biggest concern with Horn is his level of competition. Having not left his home country, it’s difficult to test yourself against the best. Pacquiao has faced and beaten better than him. I think his experience will be what leads him to the win tonight.
BOXING PREDICTION: MANNY PACQUIAO -600