PROUD AS PUNCH
JASMINE PARR is following in the all-conquering footsteps of dad Wayne. And the Muay Thai legend couldn’t be more proud.
STEPPING out from the shadow of her 10-time Muay Thai World Champion father was never going to be easy.
But Jasmine Parr has proven she is a champion in her own right with an Intercontinental Junior girls’ title win in the 47kg category in Birmingham, England.
The 14-year-old daughter of Gold Coast Muay Thai legend Wayne Parr and former women’s champion Angie Parr had a lot riding on her first overseas bout against Phoebe Ilott late last month.
And despite the build-up, Wayne said he couldn’t be more impressed by Jasmine’s international debut, in which she won a unanimous decision after five rounds.
“She can feel the pressure of being ‘John’ Wayne Parr’s daughter as well so she knows she’s got to perform because everyone’s watching her to see if she’s the real deal or not,” he said.
“I believe in Jazzy’s skills. I know how hard she trains, I know how hard she hits, I know how determined and focused she is too.
“It’s a buzz.”
The youngster had her first fight when she was eight – a bout which drew much controversy at the time.
Jasmine took some time off before returning to the sport which she has committed to regularly since she was 10.
She has a record of 17 fights with 13 wins.
Having only touched back down in Australia on Thursday last week after running a series of Muay Thai seminars in the UK, Parr said he was thrilled his daughter had found a passion for sport, but said her love had not exclusively been for Muay Thai.
“She’s done about a year-and-a-half of MMA (mixed martial arts) but now she’s so busy with the Muay Thai fights back to back that she hasn’t got time to cross-train,” he said.
“She loves it too – she has her training clothes in her school bag and as soon as she’s finished school, we pick her up and she’s ready to go.
“She’s self-motivated so I don’t tell her to go for a run or put her shoes on.
“When you go to the gym every day you’ve got a little social club … all the girls meet at four o’clock. They all run together, train together, spar together.
“It’s like a little family.”