Horn promoter calls out Pacquiao for ‘texting’ during press con

Pacquiao (59-6-2, 38 knockouts) is one of the greats of his generation and a strong favourite to overcome the unbeaten Horn at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.

His trainer Freddie Roach said he is looking to raise Pacquiao’s profile with this fight as they are targeting a rematch with Floyd Mayweather.

Despite the potential for disaster, Roach is confident Pacquiao will prove his class once again and then move on to open talks with the victor of Mayweather v Conor McGregor after the summer.

“I’m in training for the Mayweather fight.in LA”.

Horn, who boldly said it would be his hands that will be raised after the fight, only took up boxing during the last four years, going up 16-0-1 with 11 of his wins coming via stoppage.

Even Manny Pacquiao, who ran beside the Brisbane River on Monday while thinking of launching missiles at Brisbane’s Fighting Schoolteacher, still gets tears in his eyes as he recalls the tragic night his best friend died after a boxing match in Manila in 1995. It’s OK. I’m not underestimating him.

“Maybe, he (Horn) will not come out in three rounds”, Roach said.

But make no mistake, Pacquiao has now flicked the switch. So I think there will be a time in this fight when there’ll be a change and he’ll sense he’s got a very young guy that’s very tough and he’s gonna struggle. It’s fight week and actually I’m excited to watch the fight.

History could be made at the Suncorp Stadium bout – set to be Australia’s biggest live boxing event, with 45,000 tickets sold – if Pacquiao loses his crown.

“They really love Manny Pacquiao and this is like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity before he retires”, she said.

“Horn has never seen anything like the speed Manny brings to the ring and he won’t be able to handle it”.

“We are looking forward to an overall great Sunday at The Caxton; I think somewhat reminiscent of a home State Of Origin”. “We have to win this fight”.

“In all my years of boxing, I have never been as motivated and fired up as this fight”, he said. “This fight is not done yet”, Pacquiao said.

The champion also arrived late for the proceedings as Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk and Minister for Tourism and Major Events Kate Jones, Horn and his team waited for him to arrive for nearly an hour.

Manny Pacquiao with promoter Deano Lonergan (right) leave a church in Carina at the weekend.