Chris John shows his class to retain WBA crown

Chris John shows his class to retain WBA crown

Agencies, Sydney, Australia

Chris John gave a masterful display of quick, precise punching against outclassed challenger Tommy Browne in Sydney on Sunday to retain his World Boxing Association featherweight title.

Despite giving up 10 centimeters in height to 1.8 meter tall Browne, the native of Banjarnegara, Central Java, possessed too much firepower and experience for his 22-year-old rival in the 57 kg weight class.

Chris, who turns 26 next month, was ahead by seven points on two of the judges' cards and five points on the third when the fight ended.

Browne did not come out after the bell rang for the start of the 10th round. He took a number of tough punches in the ninth and South African referee Stanley Christodoulou went over to the Australian fighter's corner at the end of the round.

Christodoulou suggested that the fight be stopped to spare the boxer possible further injury, and Browne's handlers agreed, The Associated Press reported.

The Australian was cut under the left eye in the third round and was also marked under his right eye in the fourth.

"I want to thank all Indonesians for supporting me, especially those at home watching me," Chris said in Indonesian in the ring after being declared the winner.

A small but vocal group of Indonesian supporters, as well as former heavyweight champion Joe Frazier, were in the crowd.

Coming off an acrimonious parting of the ways with longtime trainer Sutan Rambing, Chris spent eight weeks getting ready for the fight in Perth with his new trainer Craig Christian -- and the intense training regimen showed in his superb form.

It was a considerably more impressive performance than his unanimous decision over American Derrick Gainer in his most recent defense in Jakarta on April 22.

"I knew he had quick hand speed, but he surprised me," said Browne, who declared at Saturday's weigh-in that he would try to be aggressive and skillful to beat Chris.

"He was a slick fighter."

It is the second world title loss this year for Browne, who had a unanimous points loss to South Korea's World Boxing Council featherweight champion Chi In-jin in January.

Chris, 26, improves to 36 wins -- 20 by knockout -- and a draw. Browne has a record of 18 wins, four losses and a draw.