John Wayne Parr

John Wayne "The Gunslinger" Parr (born 25 May 1976), also known as JWP, is an Australian middleweight kickboxer and boxer, fighting out of Boonchu Gym in Gold Coast, Queensland. He is a 7 time World Champion and runner up in The Contender Asia.

Biography

Early life

Wayne Parr began training in Taekwondo at the age of 11. As Parr was growing up, his family moved a lot and his mother helped him find a new gym each time they settled in a new place, in order to keep her son in training. At the age of sixteen, his family moved back to Queensland, and Parr began training with Blair Moore.] Early career in Australia
Parr started participating the professional bouts at the age of 17. Moore trained Parr for 13 fights, with Parr winning an Australian title (63 kg) at the age of 17. A South Pacific title by 5th round knock out over Scott Lovelock was also won when Parr was 19.^[1] During his first career in Australia, he won some regional titles of WKA. At the age of 19, Parr met Richard Vell who was one of the most famous kickboxing promoter in Australia at a Thai restaurant - Boonchu Thai, and asked him to let him train in Thailand. At this time, Parr was named "John Wayne Parr" after John Wayne of Western Show by Vell.

Career in Thailand

In 1995 Parr moved to Thailand and lived in a Muay Thai camp for four years, training in Pattaya and Bangkok, competing in 30 fights and winning two world titles. During his career in Thailand, he imitated a gunfighter with drawing a gun from his gun-folder at the end of Wai khru before the bout, and this movement had caught the Thai public fancy. In this way he got his popularity in Thailand, and he was voted the Best Farang Fighter of the year in 1997, fought at Lumpinee Stadium three times, and at his first Thai King's birthday. In 1999 Parr moved back to Australia to open his own gym "Boonchu Gym ",^[2] and he also started participating boxing matches.

2nd career in Australia

Parr debuted his boxing career on 29 January 1998 against Jim Shannon as a 4 rounder. He won by TKO at 2R in his first boxing bout. On 25 April 1998, he fought against Takayuki Kohiruimaki who wins the Japanese national tournament of K-1 in the future, and won by the unanimous decision. On 19 September, Parr fought Takashi Ito, another Japanese veteran kickboxer, in the joint event of AJKF & MAJKF, and lost by TKO because the doctor stopped during 2R as Parr's head was cut with Ito's left elbow strike.^[3]
On 24 April 1999, he fought against Kenichi Ogata, the Japanese national champion of shoot boxing, and he won by KO with left hook at 2R.^[4] On 23 May, he paticipated the first event of "X-plosion series" which is the famous Australian kickboxing event and fought against Daniel Dawson. Parr won by the unanimous decision at 5R.
On 13 October 2000, he participated K-1 Queensland 2000, the first K-1 event for him, and fought against Scott Bannan for his ISKA Muay Thai world championship at middleweight. Parr knocked out Bannan with right knee strikes to body at 2R and won the world title. On 5 December, he fought against Orono Por.Muang Ubon for the vacant title of IMF at middleweight in the event of Thai King's Birthday event. he won by the unanimous decision at 5R and won another world title of Muay Thai.

Boxing career

In 2001, Parr shifted his career to boxing again. After 7 consecutive victories of boxing bouts since 1998, he fought against Andriy Khamula for the vacant Australian boxing title at Middleweight on 8 July 2001. He won the championship by TKO at 10R and got his first boxing title. Next month, on 17 August, he challenged Nader Hamdan for his IBF Pan Pacific Junior middleweight title, but he lost by the unanimous decision at 12R. On 21 September, he challenged the vacant title of OBA at Super welterweight with Rasheed Baloch, and won the title by TKO at 5R. On 24 October, he fought against Ian McLeod to defend his Australian national title, but he lost by the unanimous decision at 12R. On 5 December, he participated King's Cup tournament in Thailand, and won the tournament

K-1

On 26 November 2002, Parr participated K-1 Oceania MAX 2002 tournament. He knocked out Shane Chapman with right cross in the semifinal, but he was beaten by Mike Zambidis by Majority decision at the tournament final.

S-1

In 2004 JWP Win the S1 Tournament World Champion Titel with 3 Win in one Night. JWP won one million baht, a IMF world title and a trophy from Thaksin Shinawatra.

WMC

JWP won the prestigious vacant title of WMC World Muay Thai Champion with a unanimous victory over Alexandre Cosmo

The Contender Asia Finals

On 12 April 2008 Parr fought Yodsaenklai in Singapore for The Contender Asia title and USD $150,000. The fight was an emotional battle for Parr; just weeks before the contest, his father had been diagnosed with terminal cancer.^{[citation needed]} His wife was also pregnant. Parr recovered from two knockdowns during the fight, but lost by unanimous decision.

Kickboxing record
Total	109
Wins	77
By knockout	36
Losses	31
By knockout	2
Draws	1