One of the
biggest events in Combat Sports history was when two-division MMA world
champion Connor McGregor, one of the biggest stars in not just the Ultimate
Fighting Championship (UFC), but in the entire sport of Mixed Martial Arts
(MMA) stepped out of his comfort zone to challenge future Hall of Famer Floyd
Mayweather in the Boxing ring in August 2017. Although the fight was “A
Curiosity” as this observer said prior to it and one that was heavily criticized
by some fans and those inside Boxing, it did succeed as a Pay-Per-View
attraction in generating 4.3 million buys at a near $100 price tag.
While the actual fight did surprise many including yours truly in being more than an
event, the outcome was what many expected. Floyd Mayweather stopped Connor
McGregor in the tenth round of a fight that did have periods where it was
competitive. The fight may not have surprised many in terms of the outcome, but
it did show that there is interest in seeing fighters from different primary
combat sports disciplines squaring off against each other that in some ways
conjures up memories of the original tournament format the sport of MMA was
based on many years ago. Even though the sport of MMA has moved far beyond the
days of one night tournament style competition, there remains the same
“Curiosity “ of what would happen if two fighters from different primary disciplines
squared off against each other.
Such an
occasion will take place on November 30th at CBUS Stadium in Queensland, Australia as
former IBO Middleweight world Boxing champion Anthony Mundine will face former multi-time
world Kickboxing champion John Wayne Parr in a fight fought under traditional
Boxing rules scheduled for ten rounds. This fight pits two of the top stars of
Australian combat sports against each other under circumstances where much like
Mayweather-McGregor the interest may be as much about the event as what will
take place inside the ring.
For Anthony
Mundine, this will be his first fight in exactly one year since being knocked
out in the first round at the hands of former WBO Welterweight world champion
Jeff Horn in November of last year. As some might recall in this observer’s
coverage of that fight, Mundine was not able to offer much resistance as the
former Middleweight world champion was knocked out in 1:36. At forty-three
years old at the time of that loss, I frankly did not think Mundine, who has a
record of 48-9, with 28 Knockouts, would be back in the ring as coincidentally his
fight against Parr will come exactly one year later.
As for John
Wayne Parr he has one advantage that Connor McGregor did not have prior to facing
Floyd Mayweather. Parr does have Professional Boxing experience and will enter
this fight with a record of 10-3, with all ten of those victories coming by
knockout. Although Parr has never been stopped in his thirteen previous bouts
as s pro boxer, his last bout in a professional Boxing fight was over sixteen
years ago when he lost a twelve round unanimous decision to Sakio Bika, who
would eventually go on to win a world championship.
Parr is more
known for his success as a kickboxer under both traditional and Muay Thai formats
where he has won world championships in multiple weight classes and various
Kickboxing promotions including the ISKA and K-1 where he amassed a combined
record of 99-33, with 46 Knockouts. When you factor in his thirteen bouts as a
pro boxer, Parr has competed in one hundred-forty-five professional fights in
his combat sports career. Although Parr has not competed professionally in
Boxing in many years, he does know how to get an opponent out of there should
the opportunity arise. Much like Mundine however, it is logical to ask at
forty-three years old and after so many fights across two combat sports and
three disciplines how much John Wayne Parr could have left to give as a fighter.
When yours
truly was informed about this fight, several thoughts did come to mind.
Obviously, I asked myself the same question in regard to both fighters, what do
they have left to give? I also found myself as someone who spent several years of
his career covering Boxing as an overseas correspondent for The Fist in
Australia, and as someone who to this day tries to cover as much of the
Australian Boxing scene as I can, legitimately wondering what may or may not
happen when the two fighters square off, knowing what both are capable of in
their respective primary disciplines, and having seen what both can do at their
respective best.
The same “Curiosity”
that tends to reel in fans ranging from the casual to the aficionado can indeed
even intrigue those of us who cover combat sports full time. Speaking only for
myself, even with all the negative things that can be associated with Boxing
and by extension all combat sports, which unfortunately tends to get more
attention than the good combat sports have to offer, this is one of the rare
times in over two decades that there is no real analysis that this observer can
offer because quite frankly, the reader’s guess is as good as mine as to what
may or may not happen. Although we
obviously won’t know the answer until after Mundine and Parr meet, it
definitely has me “Curious.” We will simply have to see what Anthony Mundine
and John Wayne Parr have to offer on November 30th.
“And That’s
The Boxing Truth.”
Mundine vs.
Parr takes place on Saturday, November 30th at CBUS Stadium in
Queensland, Australia. The fight as well as a five fight undercard can been
seen globally on FITE.TV for $24.99. FITE TV is available on mobile, tablet,
and connected streaming devices/platforms/Smart TVs such as Roku, Apple TV, and
Amazon Fire TV. For more information about FITE TV including schedules, where
to download the FITE app and how to install the app on your preferred streaming
device please visit: www.FITE.TV
The Boxing
Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment