John Wayne Parr retires from fighting

John Wayne Parr defeated Anthony Mundine by split decision last night (Nov. 30) in Brisbane. The pair went a full ten-round distance of their 75 kg catchweight bout. The encounter was the final appearance inside the boxing ring to both competitors.

Advertisements

In the post-fight interview Parr revealed the reason why he is no longer able to compete inside the squared circle. “The Gunslinger” needs a hip replacement surgery, which forces him into retirement.

“This is my last fight. 147 fights and this is the last one. This is all I know. I’ve been doing this since I was 11 years old. I don’t know what plan B is, I have no idea,” Parr said.

“The gym is okay, but it’s not enough to really do well. I don’t know what’s going to happen next.

“I just know that I can’t keep fighting, because of my hip. He [Anthony Mundine] had the same hip operation, he knows what I am going through.”

“He knows exactly what I’m going through. It’s f****d. Oops, sorry.”

Over the course of his career John Wayne Parr earned 10 world titles in kickboxing and Muay Thai, including WKN super welterweight title, ISKA and WMC middleweight titles, among others.

He has become the first Australian Muay Thai fighter known across the world, by winning internationally televised one-night eight-man S-1 tournament back in 2004.

JWP retires with a combined record (Muay Thai, kickboxing and boxing) of 110-37-1, 56 KO.

MMA fighter Ben Askren (19-2, 1 NC) is another elite athlete, who has recently retired due to hip injury. Former welterweight champion in two organizations (Bellator MMA and ONE Championship) appeared on the Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show last month, saying he needs a hip replacement surgery, which forces him to hang up his gloves.