Chris John looks to unify title

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 03/08/2006 7:53 AM

Suherdjoko, The Jakarta Post, Semarang

After successfully defending his World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight title, Chris John of Indonesia is looking ahead for a possible unification bout.

""It could be against either the IBF, WBC or WBO champion,"" he said Tuesday upon arriving in Semarang, Central Java.

The world champion flew from Tenggarong, East Kalimantan, where he defeated challenger Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico in a unanimous decision Saturday night.

""It will be a challenge to have a unification bout with one of those boxing bodies. But for the moment, I'm keen to take a rest. I want to forget boxing for a while ... and be with my family,"" he said with a smile.

Chris John said the Marquez bout, his fifth title defense since winning the belt in 2003, proved to be his toughest yet, with the Mexican living up to his reputation as a former undisputed champion.

""Frankly speaking, it was a tough fight against Marquez. I was staggered a bit in round nine after I took a hard shot. I landed my own punches, but he was a tough nut to crack,"" said Chris, who extended his undefeated streak to 37.

Chris received US$90,000 for the fight, while Marquez earned $30,000.

Looking ahead, Chris believes he is ready for fights against some bigger-name opponents, such as Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines, or Erik Morales or Marco Antonio Barrera of Mexico.

""If the chance comes along, why not? I would have to move up a class to super-featherweight, but I'm always ready. That's a challenge I couldn't run away from,"" he said.

There is also the chance of Chris and Marquez hooking up again, with the Mexican's camp raising the possibility of a rematch shortly after his defeat Saturday.

Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post - PT Bina Media Tenggara. All Rights Reserved.