Whether Jeff Horn owes him a debt of gratitude remains to be seen. Fight fans will find out soon enough. The pair are likely to clash in the ring in Las Vegas in April for Horn's WBO welterweight title, retained last week against Gary Corcoran via TKO in Brisbane.

Now it's time for Horn to take the next step as a fighter. Las Vegas was always calling if he kept winning, especially with a supporter like Top Rank godfather Bob Arum championing his cause. In April, he has the chance to do his best work in a marquee fight outside the bubble of his home town.

The wash-up to his victory, which went largely to plan despite a difficult lead-in for the champion, has been mainly about his next move. Arum virtually declared the Crawford fight as good as done within half an hour of Horn's victory, while Crawford has been chirping via social media as he watched it all unfold from chilly Nebraska.

Not long after, a domestic fight against Anthony Mundine re-entered the conversation, a notion that also had some support from sections of the Sydney media. But the logic doesn't stack up, while the suggested figure of a $2 million purse sounds rubbery. It would be a moment of short-term gratification that would cause Horn long-term reputational damage as he beats up an unrated 42-year-old.

Horn must have his mandatory defence against Crawford locked in within 90 days of his voluntary defence, which leaves them until early March to get a deal done. If that doesn't happen, he will be stripped of the title, something unthinkable if the sticking point was trying to squeeze in a pointless Mundine fight. You get the distinct feeling Arum won't let that happen as he talks numbers with Horn's promoters Duco Events.

The ex-schoolteacher has made no secret that he loves fighting in Brisbane, which Duco have turned into the focal point of Australian boxing thanks to support from the Queensland government and city council. Writing for the PlayersVoice website, Horn, like most athletes, waxed lyrical on the comforts of home.

"There's a lot of water to go under the bridge yet before we determine who our next opponent will be," Horn wrote. "I've told Glenn Rushton, my trainer, that I should be able to get ready for a fight by about April 20 next year. I don't know if that will be the Terence Crawford fight straight away. I'm due for a mandatory against him in April. We'll see.

"I would always prefer to have that fight here but, again, there will be quite a bit of negotiating to get through before that is determined.

"I see fighting at home as a big advantage. Your opponent has to fly all the way over to Australia, sit on the plane for all that time, and come to a hostile environment. Meanwhile, you don't have to travel at all and everything is on your terms on home turf.

"I would love the next fight to be in Brisbane again. But if it isn't, so be it. I'll try and find a positive in it. I was able to do that this time around."

Horn often talks of becoming a "legend" in the sport, echoing the sentiments of his Zen-like trainer Rushton. To do that, he must change his attitude about fighting on the road in a hurry. If he wants to go to a city where legends are made, he need look no further than the oasis in the Nevada desert.

The Queenslander has a strange relationship with American fight fans, many of whom seem to despise him, despite his clean-cut appeal on these shores. The narrative that he was gifted a win against the outrageously popular Manny Pacquiao??? has refused to die off, while the expectation is that he would get obliterated against someone like the 32-0 Crawford, who rises in weight but has power to spare.

That all adds up to this being the ideal opportunity for Horn to not only silence a few of his critics but set himself up for some hefty pay-days in the process. As was the case before the Pacquiao fight, even a gutsy, passable showing against one of the best in the world would be a ticket to a list of quality fights in an excellent division.

Crawford won't be going away. He congratulated Horn on his latest triumph, but let him know the feeling would be short-lived.

"I congratulate him for getting the victory but, at the same time, it's my turn now," Crawford told Top Rank. "I'm ready for the shot, I'm ready for April, I'm ready to display my talent, my skill, my power in the welterweight division.

"I look forward to Jeff Horn bringing everything ... he has to prove a point. But I'm looking forward to be an undisputed champion in a second division. So stay tuned ... it's going to happen."

That sort of challenge should be all the motivation Horn needs to prove the belt he owns was earned and didn't fall into his lap.