- Vincent Giordano
- Aug 26
- 3 min read
Known as Burmese boxing in the West and Myanmar traditional boxing in the land of its birth, lethwei is a bare-knuckle fight sport renowned for its old-school techniques and durable competitors.
Ancient Traditions
Before a match, fighters forgo gloves and wrap their hands in thin gauze and tape. Once the action begins, they're allowed to attack with head butts and throws, as well as strikes and kicks. There are no judges to award points. The only way to win is via a knockout, TKO or doctor stoppage.
In ancient times, bare-knuckle fighting wasn't taught just to members of the military class; it was also made available to Burmese youth. The reasons were obvious: lethwei ensured soldiers stayed fit to fight, it served as a rite of passage for young males, and it functioned as a popular sport that entertained the masses. It was also a brutal way to settle a grudge.
The “Sport of Warriors”
During its heyday, lethwei was known as the “Sport of Warriors.” In the smallest towns and largest cities, men labored to develop their fighting prowess. Tournaments took place during every festival, and competitors were handsomely rewarded for their style and skill.
Until the time of the last Burmese king in the late 1800s, the best warriors were proclaimed “royal boxers” and had their names officially recorded for posterity.
In the colonial period that commenced after the British invaded in 1885, Burmese boxing went into decline. Instead of being a sport for the people, it was reduced to being entertainment for British officials and rich merchants. Villagers struggled to keep lethwei alive despite laws that regarded most fighters as vagrants and subjected “habitual offenders” to arrest.
After World War II, lethwei experienced a comeback, but it didn't last long. Once again, the combat sport slid toward obscurity, particularly after 1962, when a military dictator took control of the nation.
Rules That Never Changed
Because it was never allowed to integrate into the international fight community, lethwei maintained many of its ancient rules and practices. To this day, practitioners still make ample use of punches, kicks, knees and elbows, as well as head butts. Many lethwei supporters regard this use of the body’s nine natural weapons as unique to their art, but all the historical bare-knuckle arts practiced in Southeast Asia made use of the same tools.
The way lethwei is practiced in Myanmar's countryside differs from the way it's practiced in cities. In rural areas, it's still a sport of the people. Fighters often assemble outside an arena hours before the event is scheduled to begin. There, judges conduct a conversation with each fighter so they can size him up. The fighter is then matched with a suitable opponent without having participated in a weigh-in.
In contrast, city folk see lethwei primarily as entertainment. To create a major fight card, promoters and matchmakers make the crucial decisions according to record and weight class. Then the event is promoted to the public.
The Modern Revival
Lethwei fighters of the future will have to deal with an evolving martial arts landscape in Myanmar. Since 2011, the country has been transitioning from a military dictatorship to a marginal democracy, marking the end of decades of authoritarianism and isolation.
The slow lifting of laws means that no longer is prior military approval needed for public gatherings — like those that occur at sporting events. That’s resulted in a rush of interest from the business sector, which is eager to revitalize lethwei. Myanmar citizens are enjoying a resurgence of the combat sport, with numerous large-scale tournaments taking place in Yangon, Mandalay and other cities. Furthermore, modern training camps are cropping up.
The real key to lethwei’s future lies in the villages of Myanmar. There, the practice of the art remains for the most part unchanged by the passage of time or the change of governments.
“Lethwei has survived in the rural communities for as long as the sport has been fought and practiced,” explains Saya Win Zin Oo, head of the Yangon-based Thut Ti Lethwei Gym. “I believe it will always remain that way. Lethwei can have all the organizations and controlling factors it wants, but traditional lethwei lives and breathes in the rural areas that honor and maintain it as an ancient tradition that is part of life itself.”
Spirit of the Villages
It’s in those rural communities that lethwei remains a central component of most festivals. Because they’re of great cultural importance, the matches have a different feel than the big commercial competitions — and probably always will.
In the countryside, the bouts are celebratory, and the crowds show up to cheer the local fighters. Villagers still value the martial traditions because of their role in fostering spiritual and physical growth in the next generation.
