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WBA featherweight super champion Chris John handled a challenge to his eight year title reign on Friday evening, turning back the ambitions of Chonlatarn Or Piriyapinyo at Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore.
Piriyapinyo came into the fight with a dazzling 44-0 record, undefeated in his native Thailand, but had yet to ascend the world class heights that he would find himself in when facing Indonesia’s John, himself undefeated in 49 contests, 16 of which had been for the WBA 126 pound crown.
In the early rounds, John held sway with a lightning jab that forced the challenger on the defensive where he was picked apart by a mixed kept Piriyapinyo guessing.
But to his credit, Piriyapinyo wouldn’t fold in the face of a far superior offense than he’d ever encountered. Just when it appeared that Piriyapinyo was in for a 12 round hiding, the 33 year old John began to tire.
Piriyapinyo took advantage of this situation in the sixth frame, backing up the champion with a two-fisted assault that lasted for more than two rounds. Rounds seven and eight were possibly the toughest John has gone through since drawing with Rocky Juarez in 2009.
But the Indonesian icon sucked up the punishment and by the ninth had figured out Piriyapinyo’s timing, raking the Thai with hurtful combinations over the next three frames.
Piriyapinyo never gave up and mounted a serious comeback in a engaging 12th and final frame but could pin down the champion, who continued to find the target.
When the judge’s cards were read, John was declared the victor by scores of 117-111, 119-109 and 119-109 although the bout was closer than the scores indicated.
John improves to 48-0-2 (22), retaining the WBA strap for the 17th occasion while Piriyapinyo drops to 44-1 (27).
The undercard saw IBO featherweight boss Daud Cino Yordan, 30-2 (23), outpoint a very tough 41 year old Choi Tseveenpurev, 36-6 (24), by scores of 117-111, 118-110 and 119-110.
