Billy Dib: Chris John must be scared, he's asking ridiculous figures

Phil D. Jay
WBN Editor

‘The Kid’ hoping to set up unification bout

IBF featherweight champion Billy Dib is hoping that WBA ‘super’ title holder Chris John lowers his demands as he attempts to seal a massive unification fight at 126lbs against the Indonesian.

The 26 year-old, who blasted Italian Alberto Servidei out in one round in his first defence of his title last week, sees a victory over the 47-fight undefeated fighter as a route to the top of the division and wants John to be more realistic in negotiations.

''He is out-pricing himself, he is asking for ridiculous figures,'' Dib told The Canberra Times.

''When you are asking for ridiculous figures, that mean you are scared, you are worried - you are trying to get a payout.''

''I want to unify the division and I want it to be definitive, I don’t want to just win.

''To win definitive is to knock Chris John out - that would be an amazing achievement.

''I want to do special things in the sport of boxing. I'm here for a short time, not a long time, I want to give it the best I can and get out while I'm still on top.''

John, 32, makes the fourteenth defence of his seven-year reign later this month against Ukrainian Stanyslav Merdov at the Challenge Stadium in Dib’s home country and will once again be hot favourite to retain his belt.

Whether the two fighters can agree on a deal to meet in 2012 is another matter and it is likely that both sides may have to compromise in order to put the two-belt fight together with John reportedly asking for as much as $700,000 to sign for the bout.

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