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Organizers of Chris John’s next fight have moved back the bout as they continue to wait for word on the World Boxing Association featherweight super champion’s next opponent.

Chris was originally scheduled to defend his crown in Bali in early April. But Zainal Tayib, the fight promoter, said his contacts in the United States had still not confirmed anything regarding Chris’s opponent, forcing him to push back the bout to May.

“A deal won’t be reached soon enough for a bout to be held in April, so we decided to move the fight to May 22. It will still be held in Bali,” Zainal said on Thursday.

The promoter said he was in contact with WBA matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz, who has been looking for an American fighter to step into the ring against Chris.

Lewkowicz told Zainal he was looking at Cornelius Lock, who is in the top 10 in the WBA featherweight rankings. “But that’s not yet confirmed,” Zainal said.

The change in schedule also forced Chris to suspend his training at Harry’s Gym in Perth, Australia, where the 31-year-old world champion has been working himself into fight shape since Jan. 30, and fly back to Indonesia last week. Since returning to the country, he has been spending time with his family at his home in Semarang.

Chris said he was still not aware who his next opponent would be.

“My job is to train and be ready for whoever is going to fight me,” he said.

In Australia, Chris was training with two Indonesian fighters, Sahlan and Thomas.

“I’ve been doing only light training sessions with them,” Chris said.

“But we will pick up the pace after I know who my next opponent is.”

There have been reports that Chris will earn between Rp 500 million and Rp 1 billion ($53,600 and $107,000) for his next fight. He took home Rp 1.5 billion when he beat Rocky Juarez in September 2009 in Las Vegas.

However, Chris said he wasn’t bothered by the cut in prize money. “Fighting in my own country, in front of my fans, that’s the most important thing. I hope I can satisfy my countrymen,” he said.

The bout, when it takes place, will be Chris’s first on home soil since January 2008, when he beat Roinet Caballero of Panama by knockout.


Antara, JG