BoxRec

So typically I would not recognize a WBA "Regular" Champion as being legit, but in this particular case Chris John does certainly seem to have earned the distinction of being a legit World Champion.

Juan Manuel Marquez was the WBA "Super" Champion and the IBF Champion prior to being stripped of those belts. So when Chris John beat him, he beat a man who had been Unified Champion and had never lost those titles in the ring. So while I do not normally recognize a WBA "Regular" Champion's reign as a legit World Title reign. I think it's fair to say that from the moment he defeats Marquez. Chris John had legitimized his reign as a World Champion.

Hard to keep up with these kinds of moments for sure, but since I'm watching Marquez's career straight through now when it gets to the Chris John fight, and Marquez wasn't a defending Champion anymore I was confused.

All this Super, Regular, Interim nonsense is for the birds

- Boxrec data base has gone plum looneytunes, but as I recall he was ducking the Manny Rematch after being dropped thrice in the first round, something that usually results in an immediate TKO loss.

Instead with Boxing being the most stupidly officiated sport in the world, the fight ended as a Draw. Arum and fans were ecstatic over the fight, so Bob posed record purses for the rematch that JMM ducked which might explain the Title strippages.

Instead he goes over to Indonesia for John to stink out place for peanuts, $25K. He also ducked the 5th rematch for another Manny record purse to be held in the Mexico City Bullring, likely because Manny would've been the Mexican Fans favorite fighter. His overdeveloped Vegas Ego couldn't handle that fight, so Nyet to that!!!

He always seemed to be quite obsessed with fighting a rematch with Pacquiao up until after that 4th fight they had.