Mundine hits Horn with nasty allegation ahead of fight

Anthony Mundine has taken a swipe at Jeff Horn, accusing his rival of using a dodgy tactic in his previous bouts.

Mundine says he will aim to raise his concern about Horn’s alleged tendency to lead with his head before Friday’s bout in Brisbane.

Horn has repeatedly been criticised by opponents for head-butting, with both Manny Pacquiao and Terence Crawford’s camps raising concerns before their fighters got in the ring with the Australian.

Mundine says Horn’s headbutts are the “only thing” he’s worried about and he’ll be bringing the issue up at a pre-fight rules meeting with referee Phil Austin later this week.

“That’s the only thing that I’m worried about,” Mundine said when asked if the head-butts were a concern.

“When he starts to get banged up and he starts to get blood here and there, he’s going to get frustrated and not know what to do so he’s going to start leading with the elbows, leading with the head and all these types of things.

“Hopefully we’ll talk in the rules meeting and put our case forward.”

Mundine undertook a light public training session in stifling midday heat in Brisbane’s CBD on Monday, a small crowd watching on as he did some pad work with father Tony.

The 43-year-old said he was feeling good ahead of the fight and dismissed the talk from Horn’s camp that he won’t be able to handle the power of his younger opponent.

“I know they’re banking on me not to be strong, not to be fit enough to go the full 12 rounds with a hungry young bull,” Mundine said.

“I’m not really worried about power … if he don’t hit me then I can’t feel the power. I’ve fought much bigger men. Much broader men. Guys that are a lot more powerful than this guy … he’s the one that’s coming up (weight).

“I’m the one that’s been in the ring with the Greens (Danny Green), the Kesslers (Mikkel Kessler), the Siacas (Manny Siaca), in higher weight divisions. This little cat … he can hit me as hard as he wants, he ain’t going to hurt me.”

Horn blows up over Mundine’s last-minute demand

Horn flew from Brisbane to Sydney and back for a 10-minute press conference on Saturday, making no secret of the fact he didn’t want to be there.

Horn claimed it was forced upon him by Mundine’s management to make appearances in different cities as part of the contract of the fight, in the latest tit-for-tat, out-of-ring stoush between the two.

Mundine was infuriated earlier this month when it was revealed Horn’s camp had the right to have the former NRL player tested for drugs up to five times before the bout.

“I never travel this close to a fight so I’m not really that happy being here this close,” Horn told reporters in Sydney on Saturday.

“This is the last weekend before the fight. All I want to do is chill this weekend and not do much. The last thing I wanted to do is come to Sydney in the morning.

“That’s what they intended. They knew I don’t travel this close and they’re trying to upset me. And it has a bit.”