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 aggressive and 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.
Robin Black is a Canadian combat analyst and sports commentator. He formerly competed in mixed martial arts, and previously had a career as a glam rock musician. Robin Black has commentated for most major combat sports organizations in the world such as Bellator MMA, ONE Championship, Brave Combat Federation, Karate Combat, World Lethwei Championship in Myanmar and ACB in Russia.
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. In 2014, Leduc first gained widespread notoriety by winning his fight in the controversial Prison Fight inside a maximum security prison in Thailand.
Patrick Marcil is a Canadian mixed martial arts and Lethwei coach. He is a sifu in Fangshendo, a modified form of Jeet Kune Do. His students include Lethwei World Champion Dave Leduc and UFC middleweight fighter Marc-André Barriault.
World Lethwei Championship was a Lethwei promotion based in Yangon, Myanmar. The promotion brought the millennia-old Burmese martial of Lethwei to UFC Fight Pass and showcased it to the world. The WLC events combined the historic traditions of Lethwei with modern entertainment.
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 from 2015 until his death in 2023. He also competed in a Lethwei superfight at Kunlun Fight 25 in Slovakia. Too Too died while in custody of the Burmese military known as the Tatmadaw on April 26, 2023.
Kengan Ashura (ケンガンアシュラ) is a Japanese manga series written by Yabako Sandrovich and illustrated by Daromeon. It was serialized on Shogakukan's Ura Sunday website from April 2012 to August 2018, with its chapters compiled into twenty-seven tankōbon volumes. A sequel, titled Kengan Omega, began in January 2019.
International Lethwei Federation Japan, also known as ILFJ, is a Japanese Lethwei promotion company with headquarters in Tokyo.
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 2019 is the 3rd year in the history of the World Lethwei Championship, a Lethwei promotion based in Myanmar.
Thein Pyu Stadium is a Lethwei stadium located in Yangon, Myanmar. It is the most notorious Lethwei stadium in all of Myanmar and counts over 5,300-seats. The Stadium is operated by the Myanmar Traditional Lethwei Federation and is the venue choice for most national and international level Lethwei events. In 2018, the stadium was host of The biggest fight in Lethwei history opposing Dave Leduc vs. Tun Tun Min.
Artur Saładiak is a Polish Muay Thai kickboxer and Lethwei fighter. He who competed in Glory and World Lethwei Championship where he is the former WLC Light Middleweight World Champion.
La Fosse aux Tigres is an 2017 Canadian television documentary about professional fighter Dave Leduc and his journey to Lethwei. The biographical documentary follows Leduc on his way to become world champion and captures his historic fight against Tun Tun Min in 2016 at Thein Pyu Stadium, where Leduc became Openweight Lethwei World Champion and the first non-Burmese to win a Golden Belt. La Fosse aux Tigres was filmed in 3 countries: Canada, Thailand and Myanmar. The documentary was produced by Nish Media and released on November 9, 2017 on Canal D.
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.
Cyrus Washington is an American kickboxer, Taekwondo, Muay Thai and Lethwei fighter. He is former WKA, WMF, WKBF and PK-1 Muay Thai World Champion, as well as former WBC Muaythai USA Champion, WMC and Lumpinee Stadium title contender. In 2012, he competed in the Emmy nominated Thailand VS Challenger TV Series. Washington received worldwide attention for being one of the first successful foreigners to compete in Lethwei in Myanmar.
Prom Samnang, is a Cambodian Kun Khmer fighter and is one of the most successful Kun Khmer fighters in Cambodia. In 2023, Samnang won the Thai Fight Kard Chuek championship title in Thailand and won the gold medal against Tun Tun Min in the Khun Khmer Men's 81kg division.
The World Lethwei Federation (WLF) was founded in 2019 as the international governing body for amateur and professional Lethwei. The WLF has the responsibility to sanction and support the growth of Lethwei worldwide outside of Myanmar, including enforcement of its traditions, rules and regulations.
Dave Leduc vs. Tun Tun Min III, also known as The Biggest Fight In Lethwei History, was a Lethwei world title match between undefeated openweight Lethwei World Champion Dave Leduc and former openweight Lethwei World Champion Tun Tun Min that took place at Thein Pyu Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar, on December 16, 2018.
