Dave Leduc ‘itching for a fight’ in World Lethwei Championship with three opponents in mind
- Canadian Lethwei fighter Leduc talks his possible next opponents with several options on the table
- ‘I’m training in the gym harder than ever. I’m knocking out guys … I just really want a fight right now’
In just four short years, Dave Leduc has cemented his position as the “King of Lethwei”.
This ancient Martial Art is the national sport of Myanmar. It’s the art of nine limbs and virtually anything goes. You can headbutt (the ninth limb), you can suplex, and, crucially, you fight bare-knuckle.
The unmistakable 6’2 Canadian, who began his career fighting Muay Thai, opted to switch to Myanmar’s more brutal equivalent and has taken to it like a duck to water. The 28-year-old has produced famous performances against local Burmese legends like Too Too and Tun Tun Min during a meteoric rise and soon found himself with a regal collection of world title belts as well as a legion of new fans.
His last encounter was arguably his masterpiece. In front of a packed crowd in the ancient Burmese city of Mandalay, Leduc unleashed four knock-downs to finish UFC alumni Seth Baczynski and clinch the inaugural World Lethwei Championship (WLC) cruiserweight title.
The fight attracted millions of viewers worldwide and was a landmark moment for the sport, and its greatest champion. With WLC aired on UFC Fight Pass, Lethwei has begun to attract interest from a new, intrigued, international audience – and with the pandemic still largely in full flow, fans have been wondering when they’ll get to see Leduc in action again.
“I’m itching for a fight,” Leduc told SCMP MMA. “I really want it and I’m training in the gym harder than ever. I’m knocking out guys and I’m training hard. I just really want a fight right now.”
