By Mark Vester

Sampson Lewkowicz, the adviser for WBA featherweight champion Chris "The Dragon" John, has promised BoxingScene.com for a long time that in the near future John would travel to America to defend his title. The time is now. John will defend his title against Rocky Juarez in the HBO televised co-feature to Juan Manuel Maruez-Juan Diaz on February 28 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

John (42-0-1, 22 KOs), the number one featherweight in the world and holds wins over several notable names, including Marquez. The fight between John and Juarez was in talks several times and appeared to fall apart for good in 2008. Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer told Dan Rafael that he wasn't able to put a fight together between Juarez (28-4, 20 KOs) and WBO champ Steven Luevano. Schaefer said that Luevano's manager, Cameron Dunkin, was against the fight taking place in Juarez's backyard of Houston.

If John and Marquez both win, it could set up an interesting scenario for a rematch. The weight would come into question. Marquez is now fighting two divisions above John.

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