MALCOLM "The Stone" Klassen is back from Indonesia where he helped that country's idol, Chris John, with sparring for his fight against Daud Cino on April 17. But Klassen is not happy with the treatment he received in the Southeast Asian country.

"I was treated with disdain in Indonesia," he told Sowetan yesterday.

Klassen, known for speaking his mind, added that he did not even bother to find out how John fought.

John retained his WBO junior lightweight title with a unanimous points decision over Cino.

"Those people forced me to bring my weight down to 59kg and they even changed the gloves I used for sparring. They thought the gloves I used were small because I beat Chris hard," said the former two-time IBF junior lightweight champion.

He added: "The South Africans who said I presented myself as a punching bag because I was desperate for money got it all wrong. I went there expecting to learn more from those guys but it was not to be. We train hard here at home and therefore I would not have been a punching bag in Indonesia. Things that my trainer Manny Fernandez taught me were just too much for Chris.

"What pissed me off was that they did not even pay me well. We had a gentleman's agreement but they did what they liked because I was alone there," he said angrily.

Klassen's business manager Clive de Vos announced before Klassen's departure that the Toekomsrus boxer would be handsomely rewarded for sparring with John.

Klassen made it clear, though, that he was not desperate for money despite not having seen action since losing the IBF belt to Robert Guerrero on August 22 2009 in the US.

"But whoever feels that he can stand in front of me must raise his hand. I am the best of the best and among the best in the world," he boasted.

"I want to thank Clive for standing by me through thick and thin and I also want to thank my trainer Manny for everything that he has done for me."

Klassen, 30, can beat any junior lightweight in the country when he is in the right shape and frame of mind.