Semarang - WBA super champion of Indonesia Chris John has yet to decide whether to quit boxing, although this was a wish from his wife, Anna Maria Megawati, and a suggestion of former national pugilists.
"I cannot talk about it now because I have not made any decision," Chris John said in Semarang, Central Java, Saturday.
When asked whether his fight against his Argentinian challenger Fernando David Saucedo in November this year would be his last fight, he said right now he cannot say anything about it yet, because he has not made any decision.
His wife, Anna Maria Megawati, has told him recently to quit boxing because he has already got everything, including material wealth and achievement, what more did he possibly wanted?
"What more did he possibly wanted? He has money, as well as achievement. While he is at the peak of his achievement, he better quit boxing, and return to his family, as his children have become bigger, and need his attention and care," she said.
"Do not wait for a loss, which means that now he is at the top of his boxing career it is better to quit," the mother of two girls (Maria Luna Ferisha and Maria Rosa Christiani) said.
In addition, the former Central Java wushu athlete said, she said something had gone wrong in Chris John`s management. "I do not wish Chris John jatuh made the same mistake," she pointed out.
In the meantime observer of boxing and national promoter Syamsul Anwar Harahap suggested that Chris John quit boxing and retire while he was still popular, considering his advancing age and that he had been hurt several times.
"Chris John`s fights had been canceled twice in Bali and in Jakarta, because Chris was hurt. This was an indication that his body can no longer meet the training standards of a world champ," Syamsul said.
He said Chri John in his last fight against American challenger Rocky Juarez looked rather clumsy in the last rounds. The 12-round fight in Las Vegas, the US, on September 19 last year was won by Chris John on points.
"In Indonesia, the age of 30 is risky for a fighter," said Syamsul, who was also a top national amateur boxer in the 1970s.
Syamsul also felt that something had gone wrong in the management of Chris John, but he said he did not know what for sure.
"One thing is sure that there was always something wrong in every fight that he had," Syamsul said.
Will he still be fighting against El Vasco, Chris John said he hoped so, and right now he is concentrating on his fitness.
Chris had fought 12 times defending his title since he snatched it from Colombian Oscar Leon in Bali in 2003.
He injured his rib when training with a sparring partner, so that his fight with Fernando David Saicedo scheduled in Jakarta on July 26, 2010, was postponed until November.(*)
Source: http://www.antaranews.com