The World Boxing Association (WBA) authorized an optional defense for the featherweight world champion of the WBA, Indonesian Chris John, for December 1 in Jakarta, Indonesia, against the world ranked WBA #15 Fernando Saucedo of Argentina.
The representative of John, Sampson Lewkowicz, traveled to Panama to meet with the deputy chief executive of the WBA, Gilberto Jesus Mendoza, and directors of the WBA and make the official request of the defense optional John, before the WBA championship committee, and the request was conditionally accepted.
After making this optional defense against Saucedo, John has to start immediate negotiations with representatives of the regular champion of WBA, Yuriorkis Gamboa, for a fight that has to take place before April 19. John is the WBA's "super" champion at featherweight.
