Former School Teacher, Jeff Horn defeats Manny Pacquiao to win WBO title

Australian Jeff Horn is the new WBO welterweight champion after stunning Manny Pacquiao in front of his home fans in Brisbane.

The 29-year-old, who recently gave up his teaching job, was handed an unanimous decision victory by the judges who returned 117-111, 115-113, 115-113 scorecards.

Horn was the massive underdog going into the fight against one of the greatest welterweights to ever compete.

The result means 38-year-old Pacquiao has now lost four of his last nine fights and is 1-1 since coming out of retirement last year.

It was a brutal and bloody affair in the Suncorp Stadium and has quickly garnered the nickname, the Battle of Brisbane.

An accidental clash of heads opened up a cut on Pacquiao’s head in the middle of the fight while the eight-time world champion’s left jab worked away continually at the Australian.

Horn landed just 15 per cent of his shots compared to Pacquiao’s 32 per cent, but the judges seemed to prefer the hometown hero’s energy over the legend’s accuracy.

A clash of heads cut Pacquiao open, but he was able to continue while Horn looked dead on his feet by the tenth round, even garnering a warning from the referee.

Horn was almost finished in the ninth as Pacquiao went up the gears and targeted his the right side of his opponent’s face.

It was the ninth’s destruction that prompted the referee to tell Horn’s corner that he wanted to stop the fight, but he was persuaded to let the contest continue.

The referee told Horn just before the tenth: ‘Show me something in the next round or I’m gonna stop the fight.’

Horn managed to survive until the final bell and the judges’ decision shocked many in the stadium and even more watching at home.

‘I’ve just believed since I was very young that I could do this,’ Horn said,’ said after the fight.

‘This is not the best moment of my life – it is yet to come with my beautiful wife Joanna, she’s pregnant with our first child.’

While Horn celebrated in the ring with his team, Pacquiao admitted he did not expect the Australian to be so durable.

Pacquiao looks now set to demand a rematch after the shocking loss while Freddie Roach suggested before the fight that he would want his boxer to hang up the gloves for good should he be defeated.

Horn called out Floyd Mayweather after his win as the outsider fired himself straight into boxing’s elite.

But, the Aussie also said he would happily fight Pacquiao again, opening the door for a swift rematch.