Muay Thai Review

“John” Wayne Parr “The Gunslinger”
Muay Thai Record: 69-26 (34 KO’s)
Date of Birth: 5-25-1976
Place of Birth: Australia
Residence: Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Height: 5′ 11″ - 180 cm
Weight: 158lbs - 72 kg
Camp: Boonchu Gym
www.boonchu.com

2008 WKBA World Champion
2008 WMC The Contender Asia Runner-Up
2007 WKBA World Champion
2007 WMC Middleweight World Champion
2005 WKBA World Champion
2004 S-1 World Middleweight Tournament Champion
2001 Australian Boxing Middleweight Champion
2001 Kings Cup Champion
2000 IMF Kings Cup World Middleweight Champion
2000 ISKA World Middleweight Champion
1999 WMTC Australian Jr. Middleweight Champion
1997 Best Farang Fighter in Thailand
1994 WKA South Pacific Super Lightweight Champion
1992 WKA Australian Super Lightweight Champion

Born Wayne Parr in Australia in 1976, the fighter known as “John” Wayne Parr “The Gunslinger” is one of the top ranked Muay Thai fighters in the world. JWP began training in martial arts at the age of 11 in his native Australia. In 1995, at the age of 19, he moved to live, train and compete in Thailand for 4 years. During that time he fought 30 fights and won two world titles against Thai competition in Thailand. In 1997 he was recognized as the Best Farang (Western) Fighter in Thailand.

After moving back to Australia, JWP continued with his world-class Muay Thai career. He has fought in the top competitions in the world including K-1 and the Contender Asia, and his opponents include a who’s who of the top Thai boxers in the world, including Yodsanklai Fairtex and Buakaw Por Pramuk. In 2007, JWP was one of 16 fighters selected to compete in The Contender Asia, and made it all the way to the final fight, defeating 3 game opponents along the way, Rafik Bakkouri, Zidov “Akuma” Dominik and Dzhabar Askerov. In the much-anticipated finale to the show, which aired world-wide, JWP went the full 5 rounds with Yodsanklai Fairtex, who had KO’d his two previous opponents in the competition. Unfortunately JWP lost the fight by decision, but nonetheless, JWP certainly proved he will be remembered as one of the greatest fighters of all time.

JWP lives with his family on the Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia, where he continues to train. He is recovering from the recent loss of his father, who was a great influence on him and whom he must have made a very proud man.

Check out JWP’s highlight clip:

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Yodsaenklai vs Malaipet
WBC Muay Thai Super Welterweight Title Fight
Event: International Muay Thai Champion of Champions Fight Night
Date: June 20, 2008
Location: Montego Bay, Jamaica

With the WBC Muay Thai Super Welterweight Title on the line, predictions on this much anticipated fight between international super stars Yodsanklai Fairtex and Malaipet “The Diamond” Sasiprapa took every possible perspective and were as numerous as grains of sand on the beach. The outcome of the fight certainly vindicated some predictions, and shocked others.

Some had argued that although both fighters had well over 150 legitimate fights worth of experience, Yodsaenklai had faced a higher caliber of opponents in Thailand, than Malaipet has in the United States. That prediction proved true, as Yodsaenklai thoroughly and methodically dismantled Malaipet with heavy and accurate hands, repeated kicks and a clean elbow shot that opened a nasty cut over Malaipet’s right eye in the 2nd round, and eventually led to a doctor’s stoppage at the end of round 3, resulting in a win by TKO for the reigning WBC Muay Thai Super Welterweight champion, Yodsaenklai Fairtex.

For the American audience, who are used to seeing Malaipet walk through his competition in the United States with a great deal of showmanship and those vicious flying knees, what happened in Jamaica was surely a sorry surprise. Malaipet was unable to get any solid shots in that had any effect on Yodsaenklai at all. Yodsaenklai methodically stalked Malaipet throughout the fight, showing absolutely no emotion and no discomfort with anything Malaipet had to throw at him.

Meanwhile, he showered Malaipet with his heavy hands, repeatedly landing solid combinations from multiple angles on Malaipet, who seemed unable to evade the onslaught. Malaipet failed to move dynamically around the ring and consistently lost the battle for positioning throughout the fight, allowing Yodsaenklai to bully him around the ring and pursue him for the full duration of the fight. Malaipet’s poor footwork and positioning caused him to take a number of big shots, including a few hard uppercuts that got a boisterous reaction from the crowd.

Ultimately, in the 2nd round, Malaipet caught a clean elbow that just clipped him above the right eye, opening a nasty cut that continued to swell up through the remainder of the fight from the repeated head shots he continued to take from Yodsaenklai. Although many fans were disappointed with Malaipet’s performance, he showed tremendous heart and a rock solid chin, absorbing a brutal beating that would have felled almost any other fighter much earlier in the fight. Malaipet continued to throw punches and kicks back at Yodsaenklai and even came at him with some flying knees deep into the fight, but he just could not land on Yodsaenklai in combination or with effect enough to back him off from his dogged pursuit.

By the end of round 3, both of Malaipet’s eyes were badly swollen and blood from the cut above his right eye continued to obscure his vision. During the break between rounds, the Doctor at ringside called a stop to the bout on account of the cut above Malaipet’s right eye. Yodsaenklai was pronounced the winner by TKO and maintained his grip on the WBC Muay Thai Super Welterweight Title.

Here is the fight in it’s entirety:

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Yodsaenklai “The Boxing Computer” Fairtex
Muay Thai Record: 157-66-4 (56 KO’s)
Date of Birth: 7-1-1985
Place of Birth: Nongbualampoo Province, Thailand
Residence: Pattaya, Thailand
Height: 5′ 7″ - 170 cm
Weight: 156 lbs - 71 kg
Camp: Fairtex
www.fairtex.com

2008 WMC World Champion
2008 WMC The Contender Asia Champion
2008 KO World Series Auckland Middleweight champion
2005 WBC Muay Thai World champion at 154 lb
2005 Champion of Thailand at 154 lb
2005 Champion of Lumpinee Stadium at 147 lb
2003 Champion of Toyota D4D Marathon at 126 lb
Lumpinee champion at 112 lb

Recently catapulted to international stardom with his win of the reality show The Contender Asia, the fighter known as Yodsaenklai Fairtex has long been a Muay Thai powerhouse. He could easily be considered to be the best pound for pound Thai boxer in the world right now. Born Yodthana “Eak” Phoetirat in the Mecca of Muay Thai, in Nongbualampoo Province, in North-Eastern Thailand, the fighter known as Yodsaenklai was introduced to Muay Thai as a young child by his older brother, who had been a Thai boxer. After watching his brother compete in local bouts, Yodsaenklai began his own Muay Thai career at the age of 8 years old. Known for his heavy hands and methodical style, Yodsaenklai’s career has shined, with wins over a who’s who list of the best Thai boxers and kick boxers in the world.

Previously known as Yodsaenklai Petchyindee, Yodsaenklai took the Fairtex surname when he began training with the Fairtex camp in Bangkok in 2005, which is common practice in Thailand. In that year he won the Lumpinee Championship at 112 lbs with a KO of Thai boxer Runglaew. About a month later he defeated the famous Thai boxer Samkor for the Lumpinee Championship at 147 lbs. Later in 2005, he won the WBC Muay Thai World Championship at 154 lbs by defeating the renowned Australian Thai boxer “John” Wayne Parr. He was also 2005 Thailand National Champion at 154 lbs. Previously, he was Champion of Toyota D4D Marathon at 126 lbs in 2003. Yodsaenklai defended his WBC Muay Thai World Championship belt twice with an elbow KO of German kick boxer Mark Vogel, and a recent win over the highly regarded Thai boxer Malaipet “The Diamond” Sasiprapa in Montego Bay, Jamaica on June 20, 2008.

On February 9, 2008 in Auckland, New Zealand, Yodsaenklai defeated two opponents by TKO and KO, respectively, to win the 2008 KO World Series Auckland Middleweight Championship at 160lbs. Yodsaenklai has made two K-1 Max appearances, both of which resulted in wins. In his most recent K-1 Max appearance at K-1 Scandinavia Max 2008, in Stockholm, Sweden on May 31, 2008, Yodsaenklai KO’d Russian fighter Levin Artem in the 2nd round, winning the WMC World Championship.

Yodsaenklai became an international media star and earned a purse of US$150,000 by winning the first season of the internationally popular reality show, The Contender Asia. Entering the competition with 15 other world class Thai boxers and kickboxers in 2007, Yodsaenklai became the ultimate winner of the show in the show’s finale on April 12, 2008 with a second 5 round decision win over Australian kick boxer “John” Wayne Parr. He dominated the overall competition with 4 wins, 2 by KO, one of which was a 2nd round KO of his Fairtex stable mate Naruepol Fairtex in episode 9.

Yodsanklai currently trains at Fairtex in Pattaya, Thailand.

Check out his highlight clip:

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Samkor “Batman” Keatmontep
Muay Thai Record: 120-27-3
Date of Birth: 1970
Place of Birth: Burilam, Thailand
Residence: Thailand
Height: 5′ 7″ - 172 cm
Weight: 135 lbs - 62 kg
Camp: Muay Thai Plaza 2004
www.muaythaiplaza2004.com

Former Lumpini Champion Jr Featherweight 115 lbs
Former Lumpini Champion Jr Lightweight 122 lbs
Former Lumpini Champion Lightweight 130 lbs
Former Thailand Champion at 135lbs
2005 Muay Thai Marathon Champion at 154 lbs

A legend in his native Thailand, the fighter known as Samkor “Batman” Keatmontep is one of the most respected and accomplished Thai boxers in Thailand. Samkor’s extremely high winning percentage and his multiple championships place him among the top Thai boxers of all time.

Samkor dominated the competition at Lumpinee Stadium and has been credited with being the reason Buakaw never ranked above #2 at Lumpinee. Samkor has won championships in three different weight classes at Lumpinee. He is former Lumpinee Jr Featherweight Champion, former Lumpinee Jr Lightweight Champion, and former Lumpinee Lightweight Champion. Samkor is also a former Thailand National 135 lbs Champion and the 2005 Muay Thai Marathon 154 lbs Champion.

A dangerous southpaw, Samkor is especially well known for his vicious left kicks. He is rumored to have broken a number of his opponents’ forearms with his left high kicks in his career.

Samkor currently trains and teaches at Muay Thai Plaza 2004 in Thailand. However, he is apparently a big fan of the hip hop subculture, and would love to to train and teach in the United States if he was given the opportunity. Unfortunately though, he doesn’t speak a lick of English. Of course that’s not a problem time and some good gangster rap can’t solve.

Check out those ruthless left kicks in Samkor’s highlight video:

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The use of Muay Thai pads is a very important part of training in Muay Thai. Thai pads are unique to Muay Thai and are not a traditional part of any other martial arts training. However, as the usefulness of Thai pads have been demonstrated by fighters with a background in Muay Thai, Thai pads have become a staple of training in other martial arts as well.

When choosing a pair of Thai pads, it is important to take a number of things into consideration. First, one should consider what kind of material the exterior of the pad is made of. Most Thai pads have a 100% leather exterior. However, some Thai pads have an exterior made of some synthetic material. Leather pads are generally more durable than pads covered with synthetic materials.

Another thing to consider is how the straps hold onto the user’s forearm. There are basically two different designs, pads with velcro straps or pads with leather straps and buckles. Both designs can fail over time with heavy use. Velcro can wear down and lose its ability to bond the straps together, and leather straps can wear through and tear away from the buckle. The velcro design also usually has thicker straps than the buckle design, but whether that is good or bad is a matter of personal preference.

Thaismai Muay Thai pads with leather buckle straps

Another obvious thing to consider is how thick and solid the padding feels inside the pad. Considering your pads are going to be subjected to hundreds of thousands of kicks over their lifetime, the padding has to be very dense and durable. If a pair of pads is soft to the touch when it’s brand new, it will get flat as a pancake after it gets used. A good pair of Thai pads should maintain their padding over time.

The last thing to consider is what color to choose. Thai pads generally don’t come with fancy graphics and wild colors like gloves or shin pads do, which tends to limit one’s choice.

I suggest Thaismai or Twins Special Muay Thai pads. They are both constructed well, covered in 100% leather, with tight stitching all around. The padding inside the pads is very dense and durable, assuring that the pad maintains its shape and thickness over time. Thaismai, Twins Special and other Muay Thai pads can be found at:

MuayThaiStuff.com

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