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| Also known as | Burmese boxing, Burmese bareknuckle fighting, The Art of 9 Limbs | ||||||||||||
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| Focus | Striking | ||||||||||||
| Hardness | Full-contact | ||||||||||||
| Country of origin | Myanmar | ||||||||||||
| Famous practitioners | List of Lethwei fighters | ||||||||||||
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Lethwei (Burmese: လက်ဝှေ့; IPA: [lɛʔ.ʍḛ]) or Burmese boxing is a full contact combat sport originating from Myanmar and is regarded as one of the most brutal martial arts in the world.[1][2] Lethwei fighters are allowed to use stand-up striking techniques such as kicks, knees, elbows and punches, and the use of headbutts is also permitted.[3] Fighters compete bareknuckle, wrapping their hands with only tape and gauze.[4][5] 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".[6][7][8] This, combined with its bareknuckle nature, gave Lethwei a reputation for being one of the bloodiest and most violent martial arts.[9][10] Lethwei is the last remaining sport in the world that allows headbutts.[11] Although popular throughout Myanmar, Lethwei has been primarily and historically associated with the Karen people of the Kayin State; the vast majority of competitive Lethwei fighters are ethnolinguistically of Karen descent.[12][13][5]
- ^ Jose Rodriguez T. Senase (11 November 2017). "World Lethwei Championship in Cambodia postponed again". Khmer Times.
Lethwei is the one of the most aggressive and brutal martial arts in the world
- Karl R. De Mesa (12 March 2019). "The Most Brutal Sport in the World Uses Bare Knuckles and Head Butts". Vice.
- "Myanmar's Lethwei - the most brutal combat sport in the world?". Channel News Asia. 27 October 2019.
- James Rees (25 August 2022). "Is Lethwei The Most Brutal Martial Art?". Lethwei World.
- Ondřej Jarůšek (12 November 2022). "The Most Brutal Sport In The World: Burmese Boxing Is Only For The Strongest". Refresher.
- "Canadian Boxer's Action Turns Into A Big Issue". Thai News Room. 9 May 2021.
Burmese bare knuckle boxing, considered the world's most brutal sport
- ^ Liam Fresen (30 June 2023). "Lethwei legend Dave Leduc responds to Mike Perry's call-out on JRE - 'It will not be like Luke Rockhold fight'". Sportskeeda.
- ^ Kyaw Zin Hlaing (1 September 2015). "Easy win for Lethwei fighters". Myanmar Times.
- ^ Olavarria, Pedro (2 December 2014). "Bando: The style of Burmese Martial Arts". VICE Fightland.
- Calderon, Justin (23 September 2014). "Punches, headbutts, knockouts: Asia's 'new' martial arts sensation". CNN.
- ^ a b "Lethwei : The world's most brutal sport". Ugly Chicken. 4 October 2017. Archived from the original on 7 July 2019.
- ^ Darren (18 April 2019). "Lethwei Fighter Lands Torpedo Headbutt KO". Scrap Digest. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
- ^ Zarni Pyo (21 July 2017). "The Art Of Nine Limbs". Myanmar Times.
- ^ Steven Rae (13 March 2019). "Lethwei: Everything you need to know about Burmese bareknuckle boxing". The Body Lock.
- ^ Paul Millar (18 July 2018). "BAREKNUCKLE BOXING Blood sport". South East Asia Globe.
- Jack Board (27 October 2019). "From Myanmar, with blood: The Singaporean fighting tradition to take the martial art of lethwei to the world". Channel News Asia.
Lethwei is considered by some to be the world's most brutal martial art
- Matthew Scott (11 November 2017). "'Once you get a taste, there's no turning back': brutal, bloody lethwei making Myanmar a martial arts mecca". South China Morning Post.
- Jack Board (27 October 2019). "From Myanmar, with blood: The Singaporean fighting tradition to take the martial art of lethwei to the world". Channel News Asia.
- ^ "THE ART OF THE NINTH LIMB: HOW THE HEADBUTT CHANGES A FIGHT". The Fight Library. 20 December 2023.
- ^ Andrew Whitelaw (2 August 2019). "'Maybe I was born in Myanmar in another life': Canadian lethwei fighter Dave Leduc turns Burmese hero". South China Morning Post.
- ^ Green, T. (2001). Martial Arts of the World An Encyclopedia (Vol. 1).
- ^ Draeger, D. F., Smith, R. W. (1980). Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts. Japan: Kodansha International.