June 3, 2007
KOBE, JAPAN
Unbeaten WBA featherweight champ Chris John (39-0-1, 20 KOs), Indonesia, will put his belt on the line against WBA#8 ranked Japanese Zaiki Takemoto (21-6-1, 12 KOs) in Kobe, Japan, on August 19. It was announced by Senrima Kobe Promotions yesterday (Sunday).
John is a formidable champ who kept his WBA throne seven times since he acquired the vacant belt by defeating Oscar Leon in Indonesia in 2003. Since then, John beat such name challengers as Juan Manuel Marquez, ex-WBA 122-pound champ Osamu Sato, ex-world titlist Derrick Gainer, mandatory contender Jose Cheo Rojas, etc.
Takemoto, a year his senior at 28, lately defeated world-rated Argentine Juan Cabrera by a unanimous technical decision to be rated in the top ten. It may be a very tough fight for Takemoto, since John is a vastly talented speedster with good reflexes and excellent skills to nullify his opponentfs attack.
(6-3-07)