John tops Juarez by decision, retains WBA crown

Once again, Rocky Juarez was unable step up and win a world championship.

The featherweight from Houston failed to turn the tables on Chris John on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden in a rematch of their Feb. 28 meeting in Juarez’s hometown. That bout ended in a draw.

John, the reigning WBA champion, retained his title Saturday, dominating Juarez in winning a 12-round unanimous decision.

Judges Adalaide Byrd (119-109), Herb Santos (117-111) and Glen Hamada (114-113) all had John ahead.

"It was a very tough fight, and in the last round, I was hurt," John said. "I was really slowing up, but I kept fighting."

Unlike their first meeting, Juarez was unable to bring the same energy and intensity over the entire fight, and John, a solid technician inside the ring, outboxed him.

Juarez didn’t get going until the latter stages, and despite a great 12th round — in which he hurt John with a left to the chin and followed up with a right to the head — he was unable to get the belt away from the Indonesian star.

"I didn’t get hit as much as I did in the first fight," Juarez said. "I felt I was landing my jab, I was beating him on the outside. I thought I was boxing him. I’m really frustrated. There’s not much more I can say."

In the WBO interim lightweight title fight, Michael Katsidis appeared to do enough and came away with a 12-round split decision over Vicente Escobedo.

Judges Duane Ford (119-110) and Robert Hoyle (115-113) had Katsidis winning, and Mike Fitzgerald had Escobedo ahead, 116-112.

"I’m ecstatic. I’m back," Katsidis said. "It’s an amazing thing for a fighter to get off the ground and win the title again."

Katsidis (26-2), survived a nasty cut over his left eye from a head butt late in the first round. He was constantly on the attack, landing effective shots to Escobedo’s body, then following with an upper cut or hook to the head.

"I needed to give it all to win it, and I was willing to put in more than he did," Katsidis said.

Escobedo (21-2) said he thought he did enough to win, but gave Katsidis credit for his tenacity.

"He’s a strong fighter," Escobedo said of Katsidis. "He kept coming in. I thought I won the fight, but it was a close fight."

Cornelius Lock won the vacant NABO featherweight title when he scored a fifth-round TKO of Orlando Cruz. Lock (19-4-1), dropped Cruz with a combination, and referee Robert Byrd stopped it at the 2:08 mark.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.