instagram takipçi satın alpaneldeSpotify Dinlenme Satın AlTwitter takipçi satın alTakipçi Satın aljojobet girişMars Bahis GirişMerit King GirişOnwin girişhttps://www.sallagitsin.com/casibom,bahis,slot,güncelbahis,casinogiris,sekeroyunu
Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /var/www/artemli6/public_html/index.php:4) in /var/www/artemli6/public_html/wpress/wp-content/plugins/qtranslate/qtranslate_core.php on line 71
Artem Lion Levin » Muay Thai Legend John Wayne Parr: The Gunslinger Talks Muay Thai, K-1, Mike Zambidis, and Much More
Artem Lion Levin
  • Home
  • news
  • Muay Thai Legend John Wayne Parr: The Gunslinger Talks Muay Thai, K-1, Mike Zambidis, and Much More

Muay Thai Legend John Wayne Parr: The Gunslinger Talks Muay Thai, K-1, Mike Zambidis, and Much More

Muay Thai Legend John Wayne Parr: The Gunslinger Talks Muay Thai, K-1, Mike Zambidis, and Much More

Australian fighter John Wayne Parr has had a successful Muay Thai and kickboxing career for more than a decade and remains one of the top fighters in the sport today. As we recently informed readers, Parr intends to retire at the end of 2011. Regarded for both his skill and accessibility to the fans, The Gunslinger recently agreed to take time and share some thoughts with everybody here at Head Kick Legend in this exclusive interview.

Brent Ducharme: Thanks for joining us for this interview Mr. Parr. I appreciate it greatly, as I’m sure the other fans out there do as well. Let’s begin with what’s most important, how are you and the family these days?

John Wayne Parr: My family is great, thank you. My daughter is just about to turn eight and my little boy Jesse James is two and a half and thinks he is Evil Kenevil. They keep my wife and myself on our toes.

Brent Ducharme: Now as far as your fighting career goes, I recently wrote an article about the fact that you intend to retire at the end of 2011. Sad news as a fan, but I’m glad that you’re making the move on your own terms. I’m curious as to how you see things changing for yourself from January 2011 to January 2012. Is there anything in the transition after fighting that you think is going to be particularly challenging for you?

John Wayne Parr: I am very lucky to be working with some friends who produce movies, we have done a few little things together and they think I could have a future in the business. It’s a big call and I don’t want to put all my eggs in thinking I am going to be a star, but I am going to give it a good go and if it takes off then great, if not I will be working hard in my gym with the fighters, promoting shows and seminars. The sport has given me so much so it’s only fair I give something back to the younger guys.

Brent Ducharme: And what sort of opportunities do you think the transition away from fighting might bring for you?

John Wayne Parr: I am really hoping money, at the moment I am very lucky that my fighting is bringing in good prize money and I can live comfortably. If the acting takes off I would like to pay off my house and buy the gym I am currently renting. After I retire I don’t want to disappear as a has been, if I can stay in the spot light then life would be perfect.

Brent Ducharme: I want to know when you realized that you had what it took to make a long-term career out of fighting. I know you were having success before making the move to Thailand, ended up at the Loomingkwan gym, and eventually began working with Songchai. Was that kind of all part of the process or were you already sure that you could do it?

John Wayne Parr: When I started Taekwondo as an 11 year old I would spar the adults and give them a hard time. I entered a Taekwondo tournament as a yellow belt and came 2nd in my division. From that moment I thought I was going to become a world champion Taekwondo fighter. At 13 I started Kickboxing and because I had basic skills already I would beat up my mates from school that started training and some adults. I came home from training one night and told my Mum that I was going to be a world champion one day and she thought it was cute of her son to have a dream but also laughed at me, so I held a grudge ever since wanting to prove her wrong. Everything that has happened in my career after that was hard work and also being in the right place at the right time. There are so many fighters that have the same skills as me, it’s just I got the chances a lot of them didn’t.

Brent Ducharme: Just to get it out of the way: you’re a legend in Muay Thai and kickboxing. You’ve held titles in Thailand and around the globe, you were the first Australian to fight at Lumpinee Stadium if I’m not mistaken, you won at the King’s Cup in 2001 and S-1 in 2004, you made it to the finals of The Contender Asia. The list of your accomplishments goes on and on, and you still have time to add to that list. I’m curious though, is there a particular moment or period of time in your career that stands apart from the others for you?

John Wayne Parr: One of my proudest moments was beating Orono in 2000 on the Kings birthday in front of 150,000 and live on Thai TV. The first time I fought Orono in 1997 he cut me up pretty bad, giving me 21 stitches across my eyebrow and the fight was stopped in the third round. In 2000, I was supposed to fight another Thai and Masato was supposed to fight Orono, but for other reasons they changed opponents at the weigh in and now I was going to rematch Orono, which scared the crap out of me as Orono was the most painful fight I had ever had at that stage. My trainer told me not to worry as he had a plan on how to fight him, it was to change my stance to southpaw and match him in his southpaw stance. This made me panic even more as I had never fought southpaw before. The plan ended up working perfect though and I pretty much won every round, I beat my nemesis, I won my first world title in Thailand and was now considered one of the best fighters to come out of Australia, it was a dream come true.

Star-divide

Brent Ducharme: If we took a combat sports fan just now getting into the world of Muay Thai and kickboxing and wanted to introduce them to the fighter John Wayne Parr, how would you want to introduce yourself? What kind of defining qualities do you hope they would recognize, and are there any particular pieces of fight film you would want them to see?

John Wayne Parr: Gee’s, um, I guess I would say “G’day, I’m John Wayne Parr, I do Muay Thai and I go alright” ha ha. Nah, I would mention I am a 7x world champion and lived in Thailand a total of 5 years. If they were going to watch a fight I would suggest the JWP vs Dzhabar Askerov on Evolution. It was a great fight with lots of action.

Brent Ducharme: One of the things that I honestly feel separates you from many world-class fighters is your interest in engaging with the fans. You actively post on the K-1 Fans forum and elsewhere. Because of your willingness to always let us know what’s going on, I know that you have a documentary that you’ve been working on. For those who might not know, could you give some insight on what the focus of the documentary will be, and what you’ve been doing to see it through to completion? Any sense of when we might get a look at it and how it will become available to fans?

John Wayne Parr: Earlier this year we traveled to Thailand with a film crew and interviewed many Thai people that helped me get where I am today. All these people are high profile in the sport which should give the documentary credibility. Some of the people were Songchai (Thailand’s number one promoter), Yodsanklai, Saenchai, Lamsongkarn, my old trainer/manager Por Munort and we were also lucky to enter Lumpinee before the doors opened to explain the history of the stadium and the procedures of fighting there. We are hoping to show some of the sacrifices I made living in Thailand, before it was popular to go there, to show what I went through to become a champion. Sleeping on a wooden floor and not having any toilet paper for 4 years for example ha ha.

Brent Ducharme: Beyond that, you’ve mentioned wanting to fight upwards of six times in 2011. We both know that fans are talking up various bouts for you, but are there any fights booked or is there any sort of a timetable for the coming year that you could let us in on? Any promotions or locations you would particularly like to fight in?

John Wayne Parr: I have one fight that is 100% and that will be May 28th in Melbourne with a third installment of Zambidis and myself under K-1 rules. That should be a great fight again as Zambidis has looked stronger than ever his last few fights, but I still will do my best to make sure I win.

Brent Ducharme: Wow, big news right there. The past two years, you’ve avenged some earlier losses against high profile opponents. We mentioned Zambidis – you topped him in 2009 and defeated Yodsanklai Fairtex in 2010. There aren’t many more names that you’ve taken a loss to without also giving one, but I’m curious if there are any old opponents you’d like to get in there for another go against?

John Wayne Parr: Steve Wakeling is back on the scene and just won a world title. There is also one of the best fighters in the world, Buakaw, but I can’t make 70kg and he refuses to fight at middleweight. Besides that I am happy to fight anybody, long as they have a good name and get the fans excited to see it then I am happy to train and fight.

Brent Ducharme: Are there any fighters that you were never able to face but wish you had the chance to test yourself against? Maybe guys who were around earlier in your career that have long since retired, or even those who just never ended up across the ring from you for whatever reason?

John Wayne Parr: Farid Villaume is one fighter I always thought I would end up fighting but never did. You don’t hear as much of him now as you did a few years ago, but back a few years ago he was one of the most feared Muay Thai fighters on the planet. I have been matched with Ole Laursen a few times as well but it’s never come off. I am sort of glad though as we are mates and it would be a shame if we had to punch each other in the face.

Brent Ducharme: I want to take it back to Mike Zambidis for a moment. That first bout that you two had at K-1 MAX Oceania in 2002 is an absolute classic. You worked from range, mixed up your strikes, and were dominant in the clinch. Zambidis threw those powerful overhand rights and definitely pushed the pace at times. I’ve often wondered what you thought of that bout in particular, and I have to say that the scorecards were somewhat interesting to me, with Zambidis taking a 30-29 and 30-28 to secure the win. Related to that, I’ve heard you speak about the differences when fighting under the K-1 rule set. Could you tell us how the 3×3 format changes the dynamic of a bout and what affect it has on somebody with a Muay Thai background?

John Wayne Parr: The first fight was a beauty, we both had two fights already and met in the final. I used my teep and left kick well, I thought, and in the clinch Zambidis had no idea what was happening. End of the fight I thought I had it for sure, even just before the end of round 3 I raised my hands in the air to say “Yes, I am going to Japan.” Zambidis threw a lot of good punches but 90% landed on my gloves, I also blocked 90% of his leg kicks as well, how they gave him the win I have no idea, but that was 7 years ago. I am happy I won the rematch to prove the first time wasn’t a fluke.

K-1 rules over 3 rounds is alot faster paced fight then a full Thai match. You don’t have time to feel each other out and if you lose the first round you have to play catch up next two. In Japan they change the rules depending on who is fighting. Sometimes they score kicks, sometimes hands, but the person they want to win always manages to win somehow, maybe it’s K-1 magic?

Brent Ducharme: Here’s another name you’re familiar with, albeit in a different way: Saenchai. I know you’ve worked with him in the past, and he was in your corner for the most recent bout against Yodsanklai that we mentioned earlier. What are the particular elements of his skill set that you think makes him such a handful for his opponents? Any chance that you caught his recent bout against Nong-O Sit Or?

John Wayne Parr: Saenchai is the man, and I am old enough to admit that I have a man crush on him. I have never seen someone throw the sort of combos that he does, he can be so relaxed yet so in your face all at the same time. I think what makes him great is his footwork, best I have seen from a Muay Thai fighter. He also has great eyes and can pick you off even before you have let go with your technique. His last fight was very close, going into the last round it was anyone’s fight, lucky for Saenchai he got the take down to steal the fight.

Brent Ducharme: I understand you’re a fan of Alistair Overeem as well. Any thoughts on what he’s been doing as of late, winning the K-1 World Grand Prix while also maintaining his status in mixed martial arts?

John Wayne Parr: Alistair is just a pure weapon. In my dreams, I wish I was his size, but travelling in a confined space like aeroplanes would be a nightmare. 2010 was a year where he proved he is just a great fighter, stand up or MMA, doesn’t matter, he is just a great fighter. To win 3 world titles in one year in K-1 and MMA, well for that I take my hat off and give a round of applause.

Brent Ducharme: What do you think of MMA in general, something that piques your interest at all?

John Wayne Parr: I love watching UFC, I don’t miss a show and always invite the boys around my house to check out the action. I wish I was younger and learned some ground as I would love to give it a good go. I went to the States for two months in 2008 and went to some gyms to prepare for a cage fight in Sydney. I fought a heavy weight, Tony Bonello, giving away 20kg’s. He was also 16-0 and it was my first MMA fight. I enjoyed what I learned, but two months just wasn’t enough. It has taken me a lifetime to learn what I have in Muay Thai, if I wanted to be a serious MMA fighter then I would need another lifetime to learn the ground. I have no regrets though, I love my sport with all my heart and happy to keep doing this forever, even if the money isn’t as great.

Brent Ducharme: You know what it’s like to move between sports, having a solid run in boxing in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. A lot of folks talk about the mechanical differences between striking in Muay Thai as opposed to boxing or boxing as opposed to MMA. What was your experience in that regard, and did you feel like anything you picked up in one format really helped you in another?

John Wayne Parr: My theory going into my first few boxing fights was that at the end of the day I am a fighter. I will go in there punch as hard as I can and not take a backward step. That worked for a few fights and I thought in 2001 I would retire and give it a real good nudge. After my eighth fight I picked up an Australian title and my final record ended up being 13 fights, 10 wins, 10 KO’s. My three losses were all over 12 rounds to Jeff Fenech fighters, which alot of people thought I was close to winning also. I enjoyed boxing for a year but I missed kicking and elbowing people and come back to Muay Thai. My hands improved 80% as I was punching with more weight in my shots, it helped me become the all-around fighter I think I am now.

Brent Ducharme: All these fighters I’ve asked you about, I suppose I should probably ask you about the one most important to you, your wife Angie. You guys met through Master Toddy when you came over to the States, right? What’s it like being married to someone who shares the same passion that you have for the sport of Muay Thai? I would imagine on some level it helps bridge the gap between the family and the gym.

John Wayne Parr: The family that fights together, stays together, I think ha ha. It’s the best being married to a famous fighter, I love watching her fight and we understand each other when its close to fight time and we become hard to live with, especially when its time to lose weight. When I go away I know I can leave the gym in her hands and it will run at a profit, or I will get even more students because everyone loves her classes. Angie is a little angry at me though, she was the most famous female fighter in the States, until I got her pregnant, I don’t think she will ever forgive me for that, except our kids are cool and both want to fight.

Brent Ducharme: You’ve obviously got some other folks fighting under the Boonchu name. I know that Thor Hoopman is set to face Paul Slowinski again at Knees of Fury 32 in February, is there any other news from your camp? Any fighters you would want to tell fans to keep an eye out for, whether from Boonchu or even from the Australian scene in general?

John Wayne Parr: Thor is a great fighter and has balls of steel. He fights guys 20kg bigger all the time and wins 90% of the time. I don’t know how he does it but he never seems to be put off by his opponents’ size. I also have Flip Street, who just won the WKBF world title at 61kg, I have Sarah O’Connel who won the WMPF world title at 56kg and another dozen fighters that are ready to go at any given moment. I am so lucky to have a good bunch of blokes training with me that are always willing to have a good crack, but also good to have laughs with after training.

Brent Ducharme: On a broader level, what do you think can be done to help both Muay Thai and kickboxing increase their visibility in a nation like the USA where perhaps they have struggled to break through?

John Wayne Parr: Mmm good question. At the end of the day, I think it just needs the exposure. Put two A-class vs A-class guys that will stand and trade, get cut, have blood dripping down their face and fight harder to show we are warriors, just as much as the UFC champions are. Then people might respect why we do what we do so many times a year, for so little money. Everyone loves when MMA fighters stand and trade, Muay Thai you’re guaranteed to see that every time for 5 rounds.

Brent Ducharme: Well, on that note, I’d like to thank you again for the interview. I know everyone at Head Kick Legend wishes the best for both you and your family. Anything else you’d like to get out to the fans before we let you go there Mr. Parr?

John Wayne Parr: Would like to express how grateful I am for the interview. Muay Thai isn’t the biggest sport in the States, so I’m glad you guys are giving me a http://artem-lion-levin.ru/wpress/wp-admin/post-new.phpchance to promote the sport. I hope once my documentary is finished we can sell it to the States to show some Thai culture and why the sport is so big in the mother land of Thailand. Who knows, hopefully I might be able to get a fight in the States this year before I hang the gloves up, maybe my wife can fight on the same card too. Happy wife, happy life ha ha. Thank you again.

Source: http://www.headkicklegend.com/
by Brent Ducharme on Jan 24, 2011 10:01 AM EST in HKL Interviews