# Jeff Horn
**Jeff Horn** (Jeffrey Horn, born 1988) is an Australian professional boxer who won the WBO welterweight world title by defeating [Manny Pacquiao](https://www.edgepedia.org/manny-pacquiao) by unanimous decision in Brisbane on 2 July 2017, one of the biggest upsets in Australian boxing history.[1](https://as.com/us/us/2017/07/02/masdeporte/1498994653_502921.html) • [2](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jul/11/jeff-horns-win-over-manny-pacquiao-vindicated-by-wbo-review-of-fight)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1988, Australia; nickname "The Hornet"; height 175 cm, reach 173 cm[3](https://www.wbaboxing.com/wba-boxer-profile?id=2977) |
| Amateur career | Australia's best-performing boxer at the 2012 London Olympics, reaching the quarter-finals at light-welterweight, losing 21-13 to Ukrainian Denys Berinchyk[4](https://www.olympics.com.au/olympians/jeffrey-horn/) |
| Title win | Beat Manny Pacquiao by unanimous decision (117-111, 115-113, 115-113) on 2 July 2017 at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, before about 51,000 fans[1](https://as.com/us/us/2017/07/02/masdeporte/1498994653_502921.html) • [5](https://kuwaittimes.com/uploads/imported_images/pdf/2017/jul/04/kt.pdf) |
| Title loss | Lost the WBO welterweight title to Terence Crawford by ninth-round technical knockout on 9 June 2018 in the United States[3](https://www.wbaboxing.com/wba-boxer-profile?id=2977) |
| Later career | Stopped by Tim Tszyu in eight rounds in a WBO super welterweight bout on 25 August 2020[3](https://www.wbaboxing.com/wba-boxer-profile?id=2977) |
| Recognition | Won Sport Australia Hall of Fame's The Don Award for Most Inspirational Athlete in 2017, the first boxer so honored[6](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-16/jeff-horn-the-making-of-a-champion/9037904) |
## Early life and amateur career
Horn took up boxing at the late age of 18 and quickly became one of Australia's top light-welterweight contenders.[4](https://www.olympics.com.au/olympians/jeffrey-horn/) He trained under Glenn Rushton, a martial arts instructor turned boxing trainer, who told him that if he followed the plan he would reach the 2012 London Olympics and, four years later, be world champion.[6](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-16/jeff-horn-the-making-of-a-champion/9037904) At the London Games, Horn was Australia's best-performing boxer, making the quarter-finals where he lost to Denys Berinchyk, who went on to win silver.[4](https://www.olympics.com.au/olympians/jeffrey-horn/) • [6](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-16/jeff-horn-the-making-of-a-champion/9037904)
## The Pacquiao fight
Horn challenged Manny Pacquiao, the Filipino senator and 11-time world champion, for the WBO welterweight title on 2 July 2017 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. Pacquiao, then 38, was a 6-1 favorite over the previously little-known Horn.[7](https://www.boxingscene.com/articles/pacquiao-i-felt-i-set-up-controversial-loss-horn) The three judges scored the fight 117-111, 115-113, and 115-113 for Horn, giving him a unanimous decision in his first world title fight.[1](https://as.com/us/us/2017/07/02/masdeporte/1498994653_502921.html)
The result was immediately controversial. Compubox figures credited Pacquiao with landing 182 punches to Horn's 92, and the crowd booed the verdict.[1](https://as.com/us/us/2017/07/02/masdeporte/1498994653_502921.html) Pacquiao's promoter [Bob Arum](https://www.edgepedia.org/bob-arum) called it "close but fair and it could have gone either way," while American commentators reacted with accusations of a fix.[8](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/boxing/manny-pacquiao-jeff-horn-brisbane-softest-touches-look-ever-hour-of-his-age-a7821081.html) In the ninth round Pacquiao battered Horn, and the referee warned Horn's corner he would end the fight unless Horn showed him something in the next round; Horn survived.[6](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-16/jeff-horn-the-making-of-a-champion/9037904)
The [World Boxing Organization](https://www.edgepedia.org/world-boxing-organization) agreed to review the decision but could not overturn it absent evidence of fraud.[9](https://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/UF/00/09/89/64/04442/07-08-2017.pdf) Its review, using independent judges, confirmed the win was the correct decision, and the result stood.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jul/11/jeff-horns-win-over-manny-pacquiao-vindicated-by-wbo-review-of-fight) • [10](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-11/jeff-horns-victory-the-correct-decision-wbo-review-confirms/8696232) The fight remains one of the most debated championship decisions of the modern era.[11](https://www.boxing247.com/boxing-news/9-years-ago-today-jeff-horn-upset-manny-pacquiao-in-a-decision-many-still-dispute/307676)
## Title reign and later career
The win made Horn a national celebrity in Australia and reportedly earned him about $1 million, against Pacquiao's $10 million purse.[6](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-16/jeff-horn-the-making-of-a-champion/9037904) He defended the WBO welterweight title against [Terence Crawford](https://www.edgepedia.org/terence-crawford) on 9 June 2018 in the United States and lost by ninth-round technical knockout.[3](https://www.wbaboxing.com/wba-boxer-profile?id=2977) He later moved up in weight, losing to [Tim Tszyu](https://www.edgepedia.org/tim-tszyu) by eighth-round stoppage in August 2020 in a WBO super welterweight bout.[3](https://www.wbaboxing.com/wba-boxer-profile?id=2977)
## References
1. [Pacquiao pierde con Horn en Australia entre la polémica, AS](https://as.com/us/us/2017/07/02/masdeporte/1498994653_502921.html)
2. [Jeff Horn's win over Manny Pacquiao vindicated by WBO review of fight, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jul/11/jeff-horns-win-over-manny-pacquiao-vindicated-by-wbo-review-of-fight)
3. [Boxer: Jeff Horn, WBA profile](https://www.wbaboxing.com/wba-boxer-profile?id=2977)
4. [Jeffrey Horn, Australian Olympic Committee](https://www.olympics.com.au/olympians/jeffrey-horn/)
5. [Kuwait Times, 4 July 2017](https://kuwaittimes.com/uploads/imported_images/pdf/2017/jul/04/kt.pdf)
6. [From victim to victor: The making of boxer Jeff Horn, ABC News](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-16/jeff-horn-the-making-of-a-champion/9037904)
7. [Pacquiao: 'I Felt I Was Set Up' in Controversial Loss to Horn, BoxingScene](https://www.boxingscene.com/articles/pacquiao-i-felt-i-set-up-controversial-loss-horn)
8. [Manny Pacquiao's defeat by Jeff Horn provoked the hysterical, darker side to boxing, The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/boxing/manny-pacquiao-jeff-horn-brisbane-softest-touches-look-ever-hour-of-his-age-a7821081.html)
9. [The World Boxing Organization has agreed to review the controversial points decision, newspaper archive](https://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/UF/00/09/89/64/04442/07-08-2017.pdf)
10. [Jeff Horn's win over Manny Pacquiao the correct decision, WBO review confirms, ABC News](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-11/jeff-horns-victory-the-correct-decision-wbo-review-confirms/8696232)
11. [9 Years Ago Today: Jeff Horn Shocks Manny Pacquiao, Boxing247](https://www.boxing247.com/boxing-news/9-years-ago-today-jeff-horn-upset-manny-pacquiao-in-a-decision-many-still-dispute/307676)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Boxing › Boxers from Africa, Asia, and Oceania*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license