JEFF Horn will be going for “global glory” when he defends his WBO World Welterweight title against boxing superstar Terence Crawford at the sporting mecca of New York’s Madison Square Garden on April 15 (Australian time).

Horn’s promoter Dean Lonergan confirmed today that a verbal agreement with Top Rank kingpin Bob Arum was in place for Brisbane’s “Fighting Schoolteacher” to take on Crawford on a blockbuster card that could also include boxing legend Manny Pacquiao.

media_camera Boxing promoter Dean Lonergan: “This is Jeff’s chance for global glory”. Picture: Glenn Hunt

A formal written contract could take up to two weeks to finalise with the prime time fight night likely to take place on Saturday, April 14, in the US.

The fight has been switched from Las Vegas due to venue availability with the city’s NHL ice hockey team set to make the play-offs.

Lonergan savaged the attempts of Anthony Mundine to bait the Horn camp and said the purse on offer to fight Crawford – widely regarded as the best fighter in the world pound-for-pound – was “significantly more” than the $2 million offered by Mundine.

It would be the biggest purse of Horn’s career with Lonergan saying the new father was set to explode on the global boxing scene.

Mundine: Jeff Horn has got 'nothing' on me Mundine: Jeff Horn has got 'nothing' on me

“This will be an absolutely massive fight night. Jeff Horn fighting against one the best fighters in the world…(Horn) fighting for his right to be recognised as not only one of the best fighters but the best fighter in the world,’’ Lonergan said.

“If you beat the pound-for-pound fighter, what do you become?

“This is Jeff’s chance to stamp his authority on the welterweight division and it’s also his chance to make a statement to the entire boxing world, particularly to the American critics and the American boxing public.

“We are going to the home of boxing and this is about as big as it gets.’’

The fight will be on the same day as the closing ceremony of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

media_camera Anthony Mundine after beating Tommy Browne at The Star casino, Sydney. Picture: Brett Costello

The fight will start at a similar time of the day as Horn’s bout with Pacquiao and will be on the same day (April 15) as the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

Horn is likely to start training soon and would travel to the US at least two weeks before the fight.

Lonergan dismissed Mundine’s attempts to cash-in on Horn’s elevation to world champion.

“Realistically, right now, this is Jeff’s chance at global glory. To take on Anthony Mundine at this point of his career would be a major step backwards,’’ he said.

“Mundine has put a lot of money on the table and he had a good result the other night, albeit against a journeyman…not exactly Manny Pacquiao that he beat.

“In the world of boxing, who knows? You never say never but right now we are chasing things that are much, much bigger than any Australian boxer has ever achieved.

“With Anthony Mundine, you’ve seen throughout his entire career, he says inflammatory things and he does inflammatory things. All I can say is I thought it was inappropriate to bring Jeff Horn into the discussion.’’

media_camera Jeff Horn takes on Gary Corcoran during the WBO Welterweight Championship at Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre in December. Picture: Chris Hyde

Lonergan says it was all about “going forward” for Horn.

“If Jeff starts to establish himself in the American market, that’s what every boxer wants,’’ he said.

“This is a chance at the big time. The last (Australian) fighter to come close to this was probably Jeff Fenech because Mundine certainly never managed to step up. Any time he stepped up, he got belted…sat on his arse.

“We want the big fights, we want a chance at glory, we want to do what no one has ever done before.

“Here we are. Twelve months ago no one would have thought this was possible. And crikey, here we are going to Madison Square Garden.’’

Lonergan said Horn would revel in the underdog status in the match-up with Crawford.

media_camera US champ Terence Crawford. Picture: STEVE MARCUS/GETTY IMAGES

“Nobody thought that Jeff Horn was going to beat Manny Pacquiao…the Australian public at the time didn’t believe it then he came out and did what he did.

“He’s beaten one of the all-time greats and , in my opinion, he’s going to beat a guy that is known as the best pound-for-fighter.

“Technically he (Crawford) is a very proficient, very good boxer who everyone seems to be scared of because he cleaned up the division below.

“But guess what? Crawford is coming up (a division). I don’t think he’s seen anyone with the awkward style of Jeff Horn, the come-forward style of Jeff Horn, the sheer strength of Jeff Horn and he’s a big welterweight.

“Manny Pacquiao got out-muscled, out-manoeuvred, out-thought and out-fought by Jeff Horn. Why can’t Terence Crawford?

“He ain’t no superman.

“I think Crawford is going to get out-thought, he is going to get out-fought, and he is going to get out-muscled. I just don’t think Terence Crawford is going to be happy with the outcome of this fight. He is going to maybe regret coming up a weight division.’’

Lonergan said the winner of the Horn-Crawford bout could fight Pacquiao in the future.

“Wouldn’t that be fantastic ... Manny seems to be reluctant to come again and get a second beating from Jeff. He mightn’t have any choice,’’ he said.