While he ended up needing eight stitches after winning the 150lbs Patong Stadium Title, part of the Patong Fight Night, in Thailand, his opponent — Chatchay Sor De Joamrong — definitely came off second-best.
"I feel a bit guilty, now," Horrocks laughs.
"His friend sent me a picture of him in the hospital — it looks like he’s gone through a car windscreen, but that’s what you sign up for, right?
"And he cut me first."
Horrocks, 35, spent five weeks training at Singpatong Sitnumnoi gym, in Phuket, before the October 10 fight and says while he knew his challenger was going to be strong, "he was probably stronger than I thought".
"I’m strong, I can normally push people backwards after a few exchanges, but he just didn’t stop walking forward — he was like Terminator-style."
The Kiwi eventually disposed of him towards the end of the third round after what he describes as "an absolute scene".
"I don’t think I’ve ever seen this — the ref took both of us over to the doctor.
"He wiped us down a bit and then was like, ‘all right, carry on’.
"I think we both just thought, ‘one more cut and we can win’, so I think we both just went for it."
Horrocks last year won another Muay Thai fight at Lumpinee Stadium, in Bangkok, and says his most-recent win is up there with that experience, noting to win a stadium title in Thailand is a huge accomplishment.
It’s also put him on the radar with promoters, who he’s talking to about some "big opportunities" fighting on the biggest promotions in Bangkok in coming months, as well as the possibility of a Pacific title fight in Brisbane, Australia, in March or April.
"It’s just given me a lot of momentum, really, because it was such an exciting fight, everyone’s talking about it."
In between times, though, he’s pulling together a unique fight night in Queenstown, likely being held outside his Fight Science gym, in Industrial Pl, on December 14.
Planning to put the professional ring outside with a grandstand around it, the event will start with contender fights, featuring participants in his eight-week beginners’ bootcamp, followed by some amateur and pro fights.
Horrocks says he spruiked the event on social media and asked anyone interested in fighting to get in touch, and subsequently "some of the biggest names in New Zealand" have registered interest.
"We could have some massive fights there," he says.
Ticket information’s to come later.
