Chris and Daud Set to Defend Boxing Titles

Chris John, left, and Daud Yordan will each have another title bout in Singapore on Nov. 9. (JG Photo/Afriadi Hikmal)

Top Indonesian boxers Chris John and Daud Yordan will step into the ring in Singapore once again, this time to defend their respective titles on Nov. 9.

The fight organizer, Mahkota Promotion, confirmed the date and place on Tuesday but has yet to announce who each of them will fight against.

“We set the date after discussing with our main sponsor and the boxing associations. But we can’t publish the opponent’s names yet, as it still might change any time,” Wahju Prasetyo, Mahkota Promotion’s project manager, said on Tuesday. He added that the promoter was still in negotiations with sponsors about the venue of the fight.

For Chris, it will be his 17th title defense bout since taking the World Boxing Association’s featherweight crown in 2003.

His latest fight was when he defeated Japanese boxer Shoji Kimura by unanimous decision at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, on May 5, continuing his unbeaten record with 47 wins (22 KOs) and two draws.

Given his record, the 33-year-old was awarded the super champion title by the WBA. He was also honored as the WBA’s fighter of the decade at the association’s 19th awards dinner, in Panama in February.

Meanwhile, Daud will defend his International Boxing Organization’s featherweight title for the first time since claiming it by knocking out Lorenzo Villanueva in the second round, also on May 5 in Singapore.

Both Chris and Daud have been training the past three months. Chris has been training at Harry’s Gym in Perth, Australia, since July with coach Craig Christian.

Last month, Chris’s fight adviser Sampson Lewkowicz told ESPN that Chris’s next opponent will likely be Thailand’s Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo, who is also unbeaten in 44 fights with 27 KOs. But Wahju said that isn’t likely.

“There’s a long queue of boxers who want to fight Chris, especially because he has a great record. We’re still sorting out proper opponent for Chris,” he said.

Daud, who is now 29-2 with 23 knockouts, said that Mahkota Promotion only told him that a British boxer would be his next opponent.

“I don’t even know his name. I’ve never fought against a British boxer before but I’m ready to fight anyone,” the 24-year-old said on Tuesday.

Even though he does not yet to know his opponent, Daud said he has been in rigorous training in his hometown of Ketapang, West Kalimantan, since July.

“I’ve been training for five hours a day and also have sparring sessions with local boxers. I’m sure I will defend my title whoever I fight against,” he said. JG