Chris John (boxer)

Chris John ( born September 14, 1979 in Jakarta as Yohannes Christian John ) is an Indonesian boxer and current WBA Super champion of the featherweight.

Professional career

John began in 1998 the professional boxing. In 1999, he won the Indonesian Cup and the 2001 Pan-Asian featherweight title.

In September 2003 he won the interim title in his home the WBA. He defeated the Colombian southpaw Oscar León by a narrow points victory. Later this title was upgraded to a "regular" WBA title when Juan Manuel Márquez was appointed WBA Super Champion as Marquez both the world title of the WBA and the IBF had at this time. 2004 John played his only previous fight outside Indonesia, as he gave the Japanese Osamu Sato defeated in a title defense in Tokyo on points.

In 2005, he defeated former world champion Derrick Gainer, but had in the first round to the ground. In the same year Márquez lost his title, and John rose to the sole WBA titlist. He therefore became only the third Indonesian world champion in professional boxing.

Márquez then traveled to Indonesia in March 2006 in order to regain his title, but lost sensational and controversial points according to what John first brought great interest from the international press. He has since defended his world title 15 times.

Wushu

In addition to his boxing career, John is also successful in Wushu. He won, among others, the national championship, the gold medal at the SEA Games in Jakarta in 1997 and bronze in 2001 in Kuala Lumpur.