Jeff Horn Saves Career With Punch From The Gods, Defeats Zerafa by Majority Decision
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
South Brisbane, Australia (December 19th, 2019)– A bloody Jeff Horn, bleeding profusely from a horrific cut on the side of the left eye, landed ‘A Punch From The Gods’ which decked Michael Zerafa late in the ninth round, then decked him again before the bell rang for a 10-7 round, which magically enabled Horn to somehow win a 10 round majority decision in a rematch over Zerafa at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre in South Brisbane, Australia, on December 18, 2019.
Moments earlier, referee John Cauchi called in the ringside doctor during the ninth round. It looked like Horn, 20-2 with 13 knockouts, Acacia Ridge, Australia, would get stopped by Zerafa, 27-4 with 16 knockouts. Zerafa’s corner felt he was close to finishing Horn, and the break in the action allowed Horn to get back into the fight. Horn, boxing with a set of gloves which had Zerafa’s name on them after he felt Zerafa’s gloves had less padding than his own, will go down in weight to junior middleweight after this middleweight bout.
Horn’s victory in the rematch after a previous stoppage loss to Zerafa set up a possible 2020 all Australian 18 million dollar payday with fellow Australian Tim Tszyu. Horn dedicated this performance to his late sparring partner Dwight Ritchie, and fought an incredible war which could turn out to be the ‘Fight of the Year’ in 2019. The bout was closer than the cards for Horn indicated. Horn had to go through bloody hell for most of this fight, but he was ahead by enough to win this decision. If the bout were held outside of Australia, Zerafa probably would have won by TKO in the ninth. The Australian doctor let the bout run, and the crowd did not mind the blood. Horn’s vision appeared unaffected during the bout. Horn held on for dear life when he was in trouble. Horn’s bloody left eye cut required eleven stitches when it was all over.
Jeff Horn Win Majority Decision 10 Michael Zerafa, Middleweights
Scoring: 98-90, 97-92, and 94-94 for Horn. Referee: John Cauchi.
Zerafa was down twice in the ninth round.
Horn was bleeding badly from a bad cut to the side of his left eye.
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