A BRUISED but defiant Jeff Horn emerged at the MGM Grand on Sunday morning adamant he can still mix it with the best boxers in the game after his first defeat.

Terence Crawford’s nine-round battering of Horn left the Australian with badly cut eyes that required 26 stitches by an expert plastic surgeon, and no longer with the WBO welterweight championship belt.

While Horn, his trainer Glenn Rushton and promoter Dean Lonergan said they felt referee Robert Byrd stopped the fight too early despite him eating flush shots, Horn was more circumspect the following day.

“Fair call, he boxed very well,” Horn said.

The 30-year-old had hoped to defeat Crawford, set up big money showdowns next year and retire with more than $5 million.

But the defeat has set him back.

Horn’s come-forward style has seen him in bloody wars in his past three fighters and some fear that he may take too many shots to the head.

“I always worry about the health, I don’t want to be doing it for the long haul that’s for sure,” Horn said.

“I don’t want to be 40 plus, I’ve said I want to finish the sport by 35 and be out of it so I’ve still got my health with me.”

While Crawford showed he was a far more skilful fighter, Horn believes he can return to prove he also has more in his arsenal than what he produced on Saturday night.

“I definitely do have those layers, I feel like I didn’t show all of them but hopefully I can adjust and use those type of skills that I do have in a fight like that in future,” he said.

“I feel like I can match it with the best of them out there, Terence Crawford is one of the pound-for-pound best in the world so if I can match it with him for nine rounds – I guess that’s my voodoo round.

“I think there were nerves, and he just out-fought me in there. I knew he was going to crafty and skilful but I didn’t think it was going to be that hard to tag him.”

Horn (18-1-1, 12KO) is also keen to return to Las Vegas – this was his first fight in the United States.

“I definitely don’t want to leave here just losing a fight and then running,” Horn said.

“I definitely want to come back and have some big wins over here.”