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Trolls target Jeff Horn’s heavily-pregnant wife after shock Battle of Brisbane win

While Manny Pacquiao accepted and congratulated Jeff Horn on his shock Battle of Brisbane victory, Internet trolls continue to throw punches at the new world champ and his heavily-pregnant wife.

A ticker-tape parade beckons for Horn after he etched his name into Australian sporting folklore at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.

Despite a unanimous decision, American sporting personalities labelled Horn’s appointment as the new Welterweight World champion as “garbage” and “a hometown job”, implying the former teacher's native Brisbane crowd got him over the line.

“Are those officials from Australia? Are they? What did we just see? This is a horrible decision! Horrible!” ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith said after the fight.

However it was online where the reactions weren't quite so civil, taking aim at Horn and his heavily pregnant wife with a series of abusive posts.

Social media trolls labelled Horn as a “f****** cheat” and a “dirty fighter” but the more disturbing comments were left on the champ’s personal Instagram account, abusing his heavily pregnant wife about her weight.


According to CompuBox statistics, Horn landed just 92 punches to Pacquaio's 182, but some rounds were tight and difficult to score.

Horn's heavily pregnant wife was targeted by trolls in a series of disturbing Instagram comments on the boxing champion's profile. Source: Instagram
Horn's heavily pregnant wife was targeted by trolls in a series of disturbing Instagram comments on the boxing champion's profile. Source: Instagram

The controversy will not bother a beat-up looking Horn, whose right eye was completely closed over as he toasted his victory with family, friends and supporters at Brisbane's Treasury Hotel on Sunday night.

It kicked off a week of celebrations for Horn, who is to appear with Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk - Horn's cousin - on Monday morning for a media opportunity as his coronation as a local hero continues.

However, the perception among US fight fans that he did not deserve to beat Pacquiao will be something he has to deal with as he moves forward in his career, particularly with big-money fights against top-line welterweights in Las Vegas and New York now firmly on his radar.