The King of Lethwei, Dave Leduc is set to make his ninth Openweight Lethwei Golden Belt defense Nov. 7th. The bout will take place in Wyoming; marking the first time Lethwei will officially take place in the United States.
Lethwei has a long, storied history dating as far back as 2nd century BCE. It originated in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) and it’s been largely contained to its native land until recently.
Helping bring Lethwei to the United States is just the latest reason to call Dave Leduc a true pioneer of the sport.
In our interview, Leduc expressed how important it is to him to spread Lethwei to as many different outlets and audiences as possible.
That is why he’s made a commitment to traveling to places like Slovakia, Iceland, Portugal, Texas, California, and more to teach the craft that he loves so much. He’s also opened virtual gyms so he can teach Lethwei drills and techniques in a widespread manner.
Leduc also told me how it’s always been a dream of his to fight on U.S. soil, and on November 7th he’ll have the chance to live that dream. The event will be PPV due to its massive implications. ‘The King of Lethwei’ will headline the first PPV event in the history of Lethwei.
I mentioned the previously stated massive implications to Dave. He acknowledged them and agreed that it just might be his biggest fight yet because of the history behind it.
Leduc will face Cyrus Washington on Nov. 7th. A man who he fought once before to a draw back in 2017. ‘The King of Lethwei’ expressed some regret in not finishing Washington the first go-around, but he promised me this time will be different.
In fact, Leduc promises a “decisive victory” next month.
It’s been over a year since Leduc last competed (last fight 8/2/19: KO win), making him very eager to get back in the ring and showcase his skills. He told me he “feels free” in the ring and he can thoroughly “express himself” through his craft.
Anyone who’s followed Dave Leduc’s career knows how hard he’s worked to get to where he’s at today. He had to work to win over the respect of the Myanmarese people as well, but it was a challenge that Leduc accepted with open arms.
Very few people outside of the immediate area were competing in Lethwei at the time of Leduc’s start. Dave shared with me how he immediately embraced the culture and the country of Myanmar as a whole.
His ability to adapt quickly both in life and in the ring has really aided him along his journey. Leduc shared a story with me about how during one of his fights with Tun Tun Min he only had Burmese speaking cornermen; forcing him to make his own adjustments on the fly against a far more experienced opponent.
“An adapt or die mentality” is how Leduc described it to me.
It’s moments like that that have shaped Leduc’s storied career. I was fascinated to find out what his proudest combat sports moment is.
As you’d expect he had to ponder for a second, but he then went back to an incredible moment in 2016 when he fought Tun Tun Min and got married in Myanmar all within less than 48 hours.
He then added that fighting in Japan, which he’s done three times, will always be some of his greatest memories.
Leduc stated to me his goal of “being the best non-Burmese Lethwei fighter ever”. Impressively, ‘The Lethwei King’ is currently on the path in that direction.
Make sure you tune in on Nov. 7th when Dave Leduc makes his ninth title defense against Cyrus Washington on U.S. soil! It will be LIVE on Pay Per View. Pre-order it here: www.spartase.com/ppv ($25).
