'Jeff Horn will shock Pacquiao'

Jeff Horn isn't being given much chance against Manny Pacquiao, but a former boxing champion reckons the Aussie has the power to knock the Filipino out.

John "The Beast" Mugabi, a regular at the Brisbane gym of Horn's strength and conditioning coach Dundee Kim, has told The Courier Mail he's been "blown away" by Horn's speed and power.

"Jeff Horn will shock Pacquiao," said the 57-year-old Ugandan.

"Pacquiao can be hit and hurt and Jeff is a great puncher. Very strong.

"Pacquiao will not be expecting the sort of power he has."

Mugabi is an Olympic silver medallist and held the WBC 70kg title in 1989-90.

He was 25-0 with 25 knockouts before losing to world middleweight champ Marvin Hagler in Las Vegas in 1986, a brutal bout that ended up being Hagler's last victory.

Mugabi seems to be in the minority however with many predicting a Pacquiao victory.

Anthony Mundine recently said an upset is possible, but he backed the 38-year-old Pacquiao to prove he is not a spent force with victory at Suncorp Stadium on July 2.

"Even though he is at his end and past his prime, I believe he is still a dangerous fighter," Mundine told AAP.

Mundine said former Brisbane schoolteacher Horn, 29, would be a difficult prospect, but hadn't proven he can fight at 11-time world champion Pacquiao's level.

He said welterweight Horn lacked the polish to stop the Filipino.

"I have watched him a couple of times. He is just a young, enthusiastic and confident kid," Mundine said.

"He is an awkward fighter. He has got some power but I don't really go much on his skill.

"On paper, you would think Manny has it all day. But anything can happen in boxing."

Pacquiao (59-6-2, 38 knockouts) is an overwhelming favourite against Horn (16-0-1 record, 11 knockouts) in what is being dubbed the biggest fight in Australian boxing history.

with AAP