PALMERSTON NORTH, New Zealand – Rising welterweight Jeff Horn is hoping for a top 10 ranking after a night when Australasia’s two hottest boxing prospects had quick and impressive wins.
The 27-year-old Brisbane schoolteacher improved to 10-0-1, with 8 KOs with an emphatic third round stoppage of Ghana’s Richmond Djarbeng in his first fight following a six-month lay-off caused by a broken hand.
He dropped the WBA 11th-ranked fighter and WBA Pan African champion once in the second round and twice in the third of their fight in Palmerston North, New Zealand.
World ranked New Zealand heavyweight Joseph Parker also had a convincing victory in front of a capacity crowd of about 3000 at Arena Manawatu.
The Las Vegas-based Aucklander improved to 14-0 with 12 KOs and retained his PABA and WBA Oriental titles with a second round knockout of German-based Turk Yakup “The Scorpion” Saglam.
Horn gave himself a pass mark for his performance in beating Ghanaian Djarbeng, who was rated four places higher than him by the WBA.
It was Djarbeng’s first loss in almost nine years following a run of 19 straight wins for the African fighter.
PABA and WBO Oriental champion Horn dictated terms with his speed and power and showed no sign of rustiness after the longest hiatus of his professional career.
He said his hand felt fine and he would be able to back up in six weeks.
Asked where he hoped the win would take him Horn said “hopefully into the top 10, if not very close to”.
“But this guy was ranked quite highly in the WBA, higher than me, so at least take his spot if not higher.”
Djarbeng (19-3-1, 15 KOs) tried to hold to prevent Horn hitting him but was floored 40 seconds from the end of the second round by a left hook and a follow up right.
He was floored again halfway through the third and again a few seconds later, after which Australian referee Brad Vocale stopped the bout.
