Las Vegas: Jeff Horn arrived in Las Vegas to minimal fanfare last week. It came as little surprise. Most Americans regard him as little more than a glorified tourist in Sin City as he prepares to defend his welterweight title against Terence Crawford next weekend.
That level of unconcealed disrespect is nothing new for Horn. Ever since he shook the boxing world to beat Manny Pacquiao and take his WBO belt, he's been dismissed as a false champion gifted a ludicrous hometown decision.
On a mission: Jeff Horn waves goodbye at Brisbane airport en route to Last Vegas.
Photo: AAP
Now he arrives in the US as a hokey kid from the Aussie suburbs that just doesn't understand the gravity of the peril he's in against Nebraskan Crawford (32-0, 23 KO), who has been given a rails run to a welterweight strap after uniting all four belts at junior welterweight.
As it was against Pacquiao, you could likely fit all the people that give Horn a shot in one minivan. The former teacher has been installed as a $6 outsider against Crawford ($1.13), a clinical southpaw who sits among the best pound-for-pound fighters in the business.
Horn reads the comments. Hey, he had to stand there after winning the title and listen to Teddy Atlas tell him it was his lucky day because he actually lost. To this point, he hasn't lost his patience or humility, although you suspect the day may eventually arrive.
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"Its a mix of emotions really. I kind of cant really give a shit about it but in saying that, its good when I get recognition from them. Its annoying when I don't and it drives me," Horn says.
"Either way, I try to look at everything as a positive. If they give me praise, Ill say thank you. If they dont, Ill just train harder and use it next time."
In one of Horn's first interviews on US soil, after a workout in the Top Rank gym where he has based himself ahead of the fight the bout at the MGM Grand, the second question was how he felt about being 'overlooked' as he defends his belt.
The $2.5m payday certainly helps but Horn shrugged and gave the same answer he always does; that it's up to him to prove everybody wrong. Again.
"I think even if I win this fight, there will be people that say I was lucky, or Crawford doesnt go well at welterweight, or Crawford was injured. Im sure there will be excuses," Horn said.
One thing is certain … if Horn were to beat Crawford and retain his title, it would be one of the great 'up yours' in recent boxing history. As Horn points out, everything from the venue to the date has been made in Crawford's favour.
"It would be very satisfying thats for sure. To beat Terence Crawford, their No.1 pound-for-pound fighter … well, what can you say now? What are you going to come up with?
"Weve let them have everything. Weve let them postpone the date, then there was the (hand) injury, its on his home turf. Everything is in their favour.
"Im sure that was their plan. But on the night, its all going unravel."
A man at the height of his powers, Crawford presents an entirely different challenge for Horn than Pacquiao, who was at the tail end of his career when he waltzed into the ring at Suncorp Stadium.
But the noises coming out of Crawford's camp are eerily similar to that of Pacquiao and his trainer Freddie Roach. On that occasion, Pacquiao was convinced it would be an easy afternoon's work and all that mattered was the spectacular nature of his inevitable knock-out, which in turn would earn him another rich pay day.
Crawford's trainer Brian McIntyre doesn't appear to have learned many, if any, lessons from the manner in which Team Pacquiao treated the challenge of Horn. He's already flown off the handle at Horn and his trainer 60-year-old trainer Glenn Rushton, who he apparently wants to beat up.
"The pressures on Horn but I dont give a damn where the pressures at because Horns still getting his ass whipped. Im gonna look right at his coach and say 'you asshole'," McIntyre unleashed in a recent interview.
"I tried to tell you that we was gonna win — you been talking all that shit, putting all that shit in the newspaper — all that shit on social media and you didnt have a clue what you were going up against. I think Horn and his coach are scared because they know that Terence Crawford is going to whip Jeff Horns butt."
It might all turn out to be true but McIntyre would hardly be the first to completely misread what Horn brings in the ring. There's something about his fighting style that seems to give opponents unbridled confidence, until the bell goes.
"I dont know if its the way I move. They look at me and just dont think Im much good. But when they are in there, there are subtle movements. They think Im doing one thing and end up getting punched in the face.
"I try to make it as confusing as I can. I think hes going to be getting out of the ring and say 'wow, I didnt expect that'."
Horn doesn't want to be fighting when he's on the wrong side of 35 and will earn enough money from this bout to set him up for life. He maintains that his motivation has never been better even if he already has one eye on an eventual exit from the punishing sport.
"All Ive got to focus on is boxing. I do have a five-year plan to get out of the sport and Ive been doing it for 10 years. Theres still a long path, especially when you are at the top and you are holding onto this belt. I have to keep it as long as I can," Horn said.
One thing is for certain – Horn won't be getting on a plane back to Brisbane with a bunch of 'what ifs' spinning around his mind. If Crawford wants the belt, he's going to have to earn it from the first round.
"If anyone knows me, they know that I love a challenge. If I ever get beaten in something, all I want to do is do it again straight away. Thats just my nature.
"But Im not planning on getting beaten. I have an undefeated record and I want to keep that… and go in against an undefeated fighter and break that streak.
"I have to make sure I try to win every round I can, from one to 12. I dont want to be sitting back waiting to get counter punched. I dont want to leave the ring thinking I was too tentative, thinking that I could have done so much more."
Jeff Horn will defend his WBO welterweight title against Terence Crawford at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas at 10am, Sunday, June 10 (AEST) live on Main Event.
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