 | |
| Company type | Lethwei promotion |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2016 |
| Headquarters | Tokyo, Japan [1] |
Key people | Kakuo Shimizu [2] |
| Owner | Yoshimitsu Mitsui [3] (First On Stage Co., Ltd) [3] [4] |
| Website | ilfj |
International Lethwei Federation Japan, also known as ILFJ, is a Japanese Lethwei promotion company with headquarters in Tokyo. [5]
In 2016, the ILFJ acquired a ‘’Grade-A’’ promoter licence from the Myanmar Traditional Lethwei Federation, [3] allowing them to organize traditional Lethwei events in Japan. [6] [7] ILFJ then entered into a partnership with Myanmar businessman Mr. Wunna [8] CEO of Myanmar Media Group (MMG), [3] the organizer of the Myanmar Lethwei World Championship, to share fighters and co-organize the Lethwei events in Japan. [9] The first ILFJ event titled Lethwei Grand Prix in Japan 2016, [10] was held on 27 October 2016 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. [5] [3]
On April 18, 2017, the Ambassador of Myanmar to Japan attended the first ever Lethwei world title fight headlining two non-Burmese in the sport's history at Lethwei in Japan 3. [11] The event organized by ILFJ featured reigning champion Dave Leduc vs Adem Yilmaz inside the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. [12]
On July 10, 2022, hosted a 10 fights Lethwei tournament named Lethwei Unbeatable in Oyabe, Japan. [13] [14] [15]
After having an inaugural first event in the Japan in Tokyo (Lethwei Grand Prix 2016), FITE TV [16] signed a multi-year agreement to broadcast the promotion's Lethwei events. [17]
In 2017, the ILFJ signed a broadcasting deal with MNTV [18] to be aired in Myanmar [19] and livestreaming [20] available in Japan on AbemaTV. [21]
| Division | Upper weight limit | Champion | Since | Title defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Openweight | 80 kg (176.4 lb)+ |  Dave Leduc | June 16, 2017 (Lethwei in Japan 4: Frontier) | 0 |
| Featherweight | 65 kg (143.3 lb) |  Thar A Thae Ta Pwint | June 16, 2017 (Lethwei in Japan 4: Frontier) | 1 |
| Bantamweight | 60 kg (132.3 lb) |  Yuta Hamamoto | June 16, 2017 (Lethwei in Japan 4: Frontier) | 0 |
| Women's Featherweight | 62 kg (136.7 lb) |  Julija Stoliarenko | November 15, 2017 (Lethwei Grand Prix Japan 2017) | 1 |
| No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dave Leduc def. Nilmungkorn Sudsakorngym | Lethwei in Japan 4: Frontier Tokyo, Japan | June 16, 2017 | 631 days (Vacated) | Vacated March 9, 2019 [23] |
ILFJ uses traditional Lethwei rules, with no point system. The only way to win is by knockout or because of an injury or the inability to fight any more. At the end of the match if the two fighters are still standing, the fight is declared a draw.
Each bout can be booked as 4 or 5 rounds fight with 3 minutes per round and a 2-minute break in between rounds. Championship bouts are 5 round with 3 minutes per round.
ILFJ utilizes the following weight classes:
| Weight class name | Upper limit | |
|---|---|---|
| in kilograms (kg) | in pounds (lb) | |
| Bantamweight | 60 | 132.3 |
| Featherweight | 65 | 143.3 |
| Welterweight | 70 | 154.3 |
| Middleweight | 75 | 165.3 |
| Openweight | No weight limit | |
Lethwei or Burmese boxing is a full contact combat sport from Myanmar that uses stand-up striking including headbutts. Lethwei is considered to be one of the most brutal martial arts in the world, as the sport is practiced bareknuckle with only tape and gauze while fighters are allowed to strike with their fists, elbows, knees, and feet, and the use of headbutts is also permitted. Disallowed in most combat sports, headbutts are important weapons in a Lethwei fighter's arsenal, giving Lethwei its name of the "Art of nine limbs". This, combined with its bareknuckle nature, gave Lethwei a reputation for being one of the bloodiest and most violent martial arts. Although popular throughout modern Myanmar, Lethwei has been primarily and historically associated with the Karen people of the Kayin State; vast majority of competitive Lethwei fighters are ethnolinguistically of Karen descent.
Korakuen Hall is a sports arena in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan, which has hosted boxing, professional wrestling, kickboxing, mixed martial arts and Lethwei matches.
These are the Deep Jewels events held by the Japanese mixed martial arts (MMA) organization Deep. The Jewels MMA events were previously held by Jewels before Deep absorbed its operations on May 25, 2013.
Tun Tun Min is a Burmese Lethwei fighter of Mon descent, former openweight Lethwei World Champion. In 2014, he became the youngest fighter to ever win the Lethwei Golden Belt, obtaining the title at age 21. Tun Tun Min is considered Myanmar's top Lethwei fighter and is notable for fighting foreign challengers from outside Myanmar.
Dave Leduc is a Canadian former Lethwei fighter. He is a former six-time Lethwei world champion who held the openweight Lethwei Golden Belt and was undefeated under traditional rules KO to win. Leduc gained widespread notoriety by winning his fight in the controversial Prison Fight.
Too Too was a Burmese Lethwei fighter who competed in World Lethwei Championship. He was the former WLC Middleweight World champion and was undefeated under traditional Lethwei rules, holding the 75 kg Lethwei Golden Belt since 2015 until his death in 2023, while in captivity by the Tatmadaw. He also competed in a Lethwei superfight at Kunlun Fight 25 in Slovakia.
2016 was the first year in the history of the ILFJ, a Japanese Lethwei promotion. The events were broadcast through television agreements with regional channels in Japan.
The year 2017 was the second year in the history of the ILFJ, a Japanese Lethwei promotion and the year started with Lethwei in Japan 2: Legacy. The events are streamed online by FITE TV, Abema TV in Japan and through television agreements with MNTV in Myanmar.
The year 2018 is the third year in the history of the ILFJ, a Japanese Lethwei promotion and the year started with Lethwei in Japan 7: Yuki. The events are streamed online by FITE TV, AbemaTV in Japan and through television agreements with MNTV in Myanmar.
Nilmungkorn Sudsakorngym is a Thai Muay Thai fighter. As an amateur, he won the 2015 IMTF World Championship. In 2016 & 2017 as a professional, Nilmungkorn became the SUPER Muay Thai World Champion, winning the tournament two years in a row. In 2017, he also competed in Lethwei for the International Lethwei Federation Japan at Lethwei in Japan 4 in Tokyo.
Myanmar Lethwei Federation (MLF) formerly known as Myanmar Traditional Lethwei Federation is one of two major organizations which sanctions professional Lethwei bouts worldwide and the only one who oversees Lethwei competitions in Myanmar.
Hartley Jackson is an Australian professional wrestler. He is currently working as a freelancer. The main body of his career has taken place in Australia, USA and Japan. Between 2018 and 2019, he served as an official coach and producer for WWE NXT at the WWE Performance Center, before returning to Japan to wrestle for Pro Wrestling Zero1 (Zero1) in 2020.
Extreme Fight Game RISE, known simply as RISE, is a Japanese kickboxing promotion company based in Tokyo. Their name is an abbreviation of "Real Impact Sports Entertainment".
The year 2022 was the eighth year in the history of the Rizin Fighting Federation, a mixed martial arts promotion based in Japan.
Miyuu Sugawara is a Japanese kickboxer, currently competing in the atomweight divisions of K-1 and Krush, where she is the former Krush Atomweight champion and the current K-1 Atomweight champion.
Vero Nika is a Burmese Lethwei and Muay Thai fighter. She is one of the most successful female Lethwei fighters in the sport. In 2022, amid unrest in Myanmar because of the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, she started competing in Muay Thai in neighboring Thailand. She reached the no.1 spot in the female world rankings at 53 kg according to World Muay Thai Organization, and became Thai Fight Kard Chuek Champion.
Shoa Arii is a Japanese kickboxer, currently competing in the super bantamweight division of RISE.
The year 2023 is the 30th year in the history of the K-1, a Japanese kickboxing promotion. The year will start with K-1 World GP 2023: K'Festa 6.
The year 2024 was the 21th year in the history of RISE, a Japanese kickboxing promotion.
The year 2022 was the 19th year in the history of RISE, a Japanese kickboxing promotion.
| General | |
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| Champions and pioneers | |
| Promotions | |
| Governing bodies | |
| See also | |
