Now 28, the London Olympian looks like he could pass for a fresh-faced 21. Throughout an amateur career that didn't start until he left school and a pro record that now reads 13 wins (8 KOs) and a draw from 14 fights, Horn has remained largely free of the tell-tale scars that mark more seasoned pugs.

That is until you look at his neck. Across it is the inch-long scar from an operation where he had a titanium plate inserted after his larynx was caved in during a sparring session back in February.

It would serve to postpone his bout against American veteran Randall Bailey, now to be held at Brisbane's Convention Centre next Wednesday night. Horn stands a week away from a thorough test of his skills, which his managers feel are silken enough to earn him a world-title shot within 18 months.

Horn was already working on his defensive chops in the ring already but will take added caution to guard his neck area against Bailey (46-8-0), who is 41 but has knock-out power not to be dismissed, ending 39 of his bouts with a stoppage.

"I'm going to keep my chin down, my shoulders up and I'm not going to get hit there," Horn said. "I can't just go in willy-nilly and throw punches without covering myself.

"I've got to think about his counter every time because he waits for that moment when you're tired and that's when he'll attack. That's when you'll be waking up going 'what happened?"

Horn has already earned the respect of many in the fight game, with a number of industry veterans openly suggesting he is the best prospect to arise from our shores since Jeff Fenech. Plus he's got the nickname - 'The Hornet' - to be able to shift a few shirts. Yet his relatively subdued profile is symptomatic of a sport that remains desperate for a new local star to arise as those that have carried it before, like Anthony Mundine and an ageing Daniel Geale, shuffle off the scene. Lucas Browne, who broke through for a heavyweight title, has since tested positive for a banned drug.

Horn doesn't crave an inflated media profile yet knows how important his career could potentially be for the sweet science domestically, especially in the context of an era when UFC can sell out arenas and stadiums in a heartbeat.

"I got awarded the Australian Boxer of the Year last year and that was huge for me to be recognised. There is a lot of pressure there ... and then to be winning a fight like this then trying to get that world title," Horn said.

The intricate politics that is involved in trying to move a fighter up the rankings, without them wading into the deep water too early, has seen Horn find his way to the fifth in the WBO welterweight rankings, a division that includes Manny Pacquiao, Tim Bradley, the 'retired' Floyd Mayweather and current top dog Jessie Vargas.

With few Australian promoters initially interested in his signature, he was courted and signed by Kiwi company Duco, who in turn inked a deal with Fox Sports that will see him fight in his home city three times this year.

Duco believe Horn can become a high-profile athlete here, much the same way talented heavyweight Joseph Parker has in New Zealand, breathing new life into boxing along the way.

For that to happen, The Hornet needs to keep winning, potentially all the way to Las Vegas and a coveted world championship shot. Randall Bailey, a big puncher from Florida that has cut down more than a few prospects in the past decade, stands as the next hurdle.