Chris John survived a final-round scare to beat Rocky Juarez in their rematch and retain his WBA featherweight title in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

The 30-year-old Indonesian ended the bout in desperate trouble after being rocked by a big Juarez left with just 30 seconds remaining.

But he somehow stayed on his feet to claim a unanimous decision by scores of 114-113, 119-109 and 117-111.

John, now 43-0-2 had fought out a draw with Juarez (now 28-5) in their first meeting in Houston back in February.

And the script here was similar, with John boxing smartly to dominate the early going before Juarez rallied late.

But the Texan had left himself too much to do as he again fell short at the very top level.

Juarez opened proceedings very much on the front foot, showing plenty of aggression. But John looked slick and classy as he opened up in the final minute of the session to score with a lovely right hand a good left hook.

John again held sway in the second, landing the more telling blows.

Juarez continued to bull forward in the third, trying to work the body of the champion. But for the most part his tactics lacked the required skill to really trouble John, although a right late in the round did snap the Indonesian's head back.

John, bearing the name of the late Arturo Gatti on his shorts, was back in the ascendancy in the fourth, again boxing smartly and landing some quality punches. He ended the session well on top with a super combination.

Round five was another John masterclass as those slick combinations kept the stalking Juarez firmly in check.

Rocky clearly needed to change something, and he raised the pace in the sixth with more success. John meanwhile was warned for holding by referee Joe Cortez.

John started the seventh again boxing smartly, but Juarez came on strong towards the end of the stanza for one of his best rounds.

The Juarez revival continued in round eight as he landed more inside while some of John's work was becoming a little ragged.

Juarez was again having more success in the ninth, and landed a cracking left hook early in the 10th as John gradually looked more uncomfortable. By now Rocky even had his jab working.

John was still trying to land those combinations that were so eyecatching in the early going, but now they didn't have the same snap or accuracy.

The 11th had a weary John holding on briefly after being rocked by a cracking Juarez combination.

John clearly thought he needed to take the last to keep his title, and showed real heart to throw plenty of leather early. But all that changed with 30 seconds remaining when he was staggered by a big left from Juarez that landed right on his chin.

John was on very wobbly legs but a swarming Juarez couldn't put him on the floor despite landing more heavy blows. And somehow John stayed on his feet to make the final bell and keep his belt.