Chris John stretched his unbeaten record to 42 fights by forcing Panama's Roinet Caballero into a seventh-round stoppage.
Champ cruises to ninth WBA featherweight title defence
Chris John stretched his unbeaten record to 42 fights by forcing Panama's Roinet Caballero into a seventh-round stoppage.
The WBA featherweight champion had little trouble completing a ninth defence of the title he has now held for almost four-and-a-half years.
In front of a packed crowd at Jakarta's Senayan Indoor Tennis Stadium, John dominated from start to finish and added Caballero's name to an illustrious list of victims in his own backyard that includes Derrick Gainer and Juan Manuel Marquez.
After a cagey opening round, John cut loose in the second and it was immediately clear that his opponent, himself unbeaten in 13 fights, was going to struggle.
He was wobbled in the second and sensing a stoppage was in sight, the champion piled on the pressure, rarely taking a step back.
Right hooks and straights continually found their target and Caballero's first fight outside his native Panama soon turned into the toughest of his career.
It was soon a matter of when and not if John would prevail and after a gruelling seventh round, the challenger's corner took the sensible step of keeping their man on the stool and throwing in the towel.
Referee Rual Caiz Jr confirmed the technical knockout to delirium in the crowd and John immediately turned his attentions towards racking up double figures in defending his belt.
"Thanks for the blessing from God, Jesus and Mother Mary," he said.
"Hopefully I can defend it one more time to become a super champion."
