Thoughts on Dave Leduc & His Comments
I’m open-minded to a lot of martial arts forms, whether it’s Muay Thai, karate, boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, or wrestling. But when it comes to my Southeast Asian neighbors, I like to think that I’m respectful of their national martial arts. Cambodia has Kun Khmer (aka Pradal Serey), Laos has Muay Lao, and Myanmar has Lethwei.
Lethwei fighter Tun Tun Min in the red trunks
At times, I can be more fond of Lethwei than I am of Muay Thai, even though I’m from Thailand. Probably because of the fact that I consider Lethwei to be the latter’s bigger, badder brother from Myanmar. On the surface, the two are quite similar. However, there are four major differences that set Lethwei apart from Muay Thai:
Lethwei fighters wear gauze wraps instead of gloves.
Lethwei allows for the use of headbutts.
Lethwei fighters are allowed a 2-minute injury timeout.
If a no one is knocked out in a Lethwei fight after 5 rounds, the fight is a draw.
And this is why I’ve always respected the national martial art of Myanmar. To me, Lethwei seems to be a real man’s sport. Furthermore, the many Burmese fighters who fight in Lethwei truly embody the meaning of toughness. At times, they make Muay Thai fighters look like weaklings. But I digress.
Dave Leduc’s Facebook Post:
So apparently, Lethwei’s most famous fighter is a foreigner. Dave Leduc is from Quebec, Canada and has held multiple Lethwei championships in the openweight division. His official Lethwei record is 6 wins and 6 draws. Is he good? That record seems to speak for itself. But is he good enough to suddenly call out one of the best Muay Thai fighters of all time when the country that has glorified him is going through so much turmoil? Here are the comments he made on social media regarding Muay Thai:
You can only understand, true, all out stand up combat once you’ve fought without gloves, all 9 limbs allowed, and no judges – KO to win.
The art of Lethwei is the most effective stand up combat on the planet, far superior due to less restrictions on striking and takedowns.
Let’s make it clear: Lethwei is the ultimate test for strikers. I don’t care how many belts you have in other stand up disciplines, it won’t matter once you fight without your hand pillows and you face a warrior looking for any opportunity to smash his skull against the soft tissues of your face. It’s another world.
The Muaythai community is unaware of the ancestor of their sport. I understand Myanmar was hidden from the world for 60 years, but it’s time to set the record straight:
• The Burmese empire dominated ancient South East Asia with their hand to hand combat and unequalled resilience. They looted and destroyed the ancient Siam capital, Ayattuya and took many prisoners.
• Muayboran was copied from traditional Lethwei
• Thai people are training a softened version of Burmese Boxing.
• Lethwei is not about being pretty or good looking, it’s about inflicting damage.
Naï Khanom Tom was our little obedient prisoner in Burma, he was captured like a bitch. He never did the feats Thai people claim he did. They only invented these ludicrous folklore fables because they were pathetically losing to Burma in both warfare and border competitions.
The funniest thing is Thailand still celebrates a day every year for this guy the guy get imprisoned in Burma, gets released and invents a story to look cool claiming he beat 9 Burmese Lethwei champions, some of the hardest dudes on earth, in a row! it’s easy to invent stories when nobody can verify them To this day, when Muaythai champions cross-over to Myanmar, the best they can do is a Draw, but most of the time get KOed, overwhelmed by the unorthodox use of the human skull strikes and gloveless hands.
That’s why I have accepted the offer presented to my team for the end of the year: 𝗟𝗲𝘁𝗵𝘄𝗲𝗶 𝘃𝘀. 𝗠𝘂𝗮𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗶
F*** Naï Khanom Tom.
F*** Buakaw.
To the Muaythai community: I will smash your boy.
It’s my last fight.
Picking On Smaller Guys
Wow, sounds like a lot of pent-up rage coming from a guy who’s spent most of his career taking the shortcut and exploiting the less saturated talent pool of Lethwei. Not to take anything away from Burmese Lethwei fighters but every time Leduc fights a native of Myanmar, there is an obvious size discrepancy. For context, Leduc is 6 feet and 2 inches (188 cm) while weighing around 175 pounds (80 kg). The average man in Myanmar is 5 feet 4 inches (163 cm) while the average man in Thailand is 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm).
Anyway, the only two Burmese fighters Dave Leduc has faced, Too Too and Tun Tun Min, measure at 5 foot 10 (178 cm) and 5 foot 9 (175 cm) respectively. It’s still a size advantage for the Canadian either way. Yet he is still allowed to compete because Lethwei is usually contested in the openweight division, meaning anyone of any size can fight someone else of a different size. Looking up the other opponents he’s faced, only three are the same size as him and two have fought to a draw with him. There’s Muay Thai fighters Adem Yilmaz and Corentin Jallon and former UFC fighter Seth Baczynski (who were about 191 cm). While he did knock out Baczynski, you have to consider the fact that he was primarily a mixed martial artist who had more submissions than knockouts. Basically, Leduc beat a taller grappler in a striking-only match.
Buakaw Banchamek
But he sure has the audacity to call out Buakaw. I’ll admit, Buakaw was my favorite fighter when I started watching kickboxing. I started watching K-1 when I was about 16 and one of the first fights that popped up involved Buakaw. So yeah, he really played a role in my love for combat sports. Back to the point, Buakaw is 5 foot 8 (173 cm) and fights at 154 pounds (70 kg). Leduc is 15 centimeters taller and 10 kilograms heavier but is still challenging a physically smaller fighter. Furthermore, Buakaw is past his prime at 39 while Leduc is still young at 29. How about you pick on someone your own size, Dave?
Stirring Up Shit Between ASEAN Neighbors
I get it. Thailand used to be under Burmese rule centuries ago. The two countries used to go to war constantly. But again, that was centuries ago. And Dave Leduc is out here acting like Conor fucking McGregor trying to stir shit up by digging up ancient history to start some cross-border conflict. All for what? A fight? A massive payday? Hey Dave, if you haven’t been paying attention, Myanmar (the country that for some reason seems to worship you like a fucking superhero) has bigger problems on its hands right now. Or maybe you’ve just been housed in the comforts of your Dubai home for too long. Instead of running your mouth on Muay Thai and all of Thailand, how about you use your trash-talking skills on Myanmar? Maybe that way, you could make a difference.
But of course, I’m pretty sure he’s only interested in making a fight with Buakaw happen. The whole ‘I fight for Myanmar’ thing? It’s all an act to get the spotlight on him. Leduc is trying to milk Myanmar for as much money as he can. Yet the country he claims to fight for is still struggling, as evidenced by the thousands of protestors marching the city streets demanding freedom. But where is Dave Leduc? Oh right, in his luxurious Dubai home.
Another issue I have with Leduc’s post is how he brings up the folk tale of Nai Khanomtom. For those of you unfamiliar with Muay Thai, Nai Khanomtom is regarded as a heroic figure in Muay Thai. According to legends, he was held captive by the Burmese during the 18th century but was set free when he defeated ten Burmese fighters in one night using Muay Thai. Since then, there’s been a date dedicated to Nai Khanomtom in Thailand. Fact or fiction, it’s a nice story to hear. But the way Leduc just smears him with his foul language is disgusting. But then again, what can you expect from a guy like that?
Ah, then there’s the debate about which sport came first. Time and time again, people like to say that Thai people stole Muay Thai from somewhere. In Leduc’s version of events, the Thais copied from Lethwei and created Muay Thai. I’m not a historian and I’ll never know what exactly happened regarding the creation of Muay Thai. But fact: Dave Leduc competed in Muay Thai prior to turning to Lethwei. He trained at the fabled Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket. Was he a great Muay Thai fighter? He had 14 wins and 1 loss. What about his opponents? Never heard of any of them. He previously stated that he used Muay Thai as a means of purposely getting into Lethwei, that his goal was to become a bareknuckle fighter of sorts. This is where I call bullshit.
What do I think? Leduc saw he was probably destined to be an average or just-above-average guy in Muay Thai and wanted to take the quick lane to fame. He saw the opportunity in Lethwei, where the talent pool consisted of much smaller fighters and openweight fights. Add to the fact that he’d be fighting under a brutal ruleset, it was a win-win situation for him. So there he was in Myanmar, beating up smaller dudes and winning titles left and right. Just like that, the country came to worship this guy as their national sporting hero. Ironic, right?
There’s one more thing about Leduc’s post that I take issue with. “Thai people are training a softened version of Burmese Boxing.” Reading this makes my blood boil. It makes me wish that Leduc gets hit by a bus or his wife falls out of the window of their second floor. Yes, judge me if you want. Hey Dave, let me tell you something, motherfucker. Most of these Thai people don’t have a choice so they use Muay Thai as a career path. They start from a young age, earning money from fights with the hopes that they can eventually provide for their family. At the same time, they have to make sure they don’t take too much damage so that they can enjoy life after hanging up the gloves. The same goes for Myanmar citizens who aren’t socioeconomically comfortable when they turn to professional Lethwei. And I can’t imagine what the accumulated damage does to them by the time they’ve retired. But you don’t know that because you’ve probably been comfortable most of your life. You only fight for fame and glory, the latter of which you don’t deserve.
Leduc Will Only Ever Be Good At Lethwei
With his achievements in Lethwei, many have wanted to see him compete in MMA. He’d received an offer to become an MMA fighter in ONE Championship but turned it down. This is his reason: “I need to stay focused on my thing. I like fighting with no gloves and with headbutts: that’s my passion.” I mean with a 14–1 Muay Thai record and 6–0–6 Lethwei record, he’s got to have some success in the cage, right? Wrong! Dave Leduc sucks at mixed martial arts. He has no wins and 2 losses as an MMA fighter.
While he lost his first fight to a larger guy (Jonathan Meunier), the funny thing is he lost to a significantly smaller guy. In his second fight, Leduc faced future ONE Championship fighter and former ONE featherweight title challenger Koyomi Matsushima. For the record, Matsushima stands at 173 centimeters. But he beats Leduc by TKO in just 19 seconds. I’ve seen footage of the Meunier fight and let me tell you, it was satisfying to see Leduc get his bald head bashed in. I do wish I could find the Matsushima fight, though.
The MMA fight between Dave Leduc and Jonathan Meunier
So when Leduc said he wanted to stay focused on his passion, it was his way of saying he didn’t want to get humiliated in mixed martial arts. Yeah, I think it’s best he stayed away from the cage. Though the thought of someone punching or elbowing his face from full mount again doesn’t sound so bad. If he were to try MMA again…
The Aftermath
Needless to say, Leduc’s social media post sparked a lot of backlash from the Muay Thai community, who called out his blatant disrepect. Even the people of Myanmar began to turn on him for his behavior. I understand that trash-talking is a prominent feature of combat sports in the West. But here in Southeast Asia, it’s disrespectful and disgraceful. Had he wanted to actually fight Buakaw under some form of Lethwei rules, he could’ve sat and negotiated. But he went all UFC and shat on an entire nation. A nation that, I might add, offered him its hospitality when he asked for it during his stay at Tiger Muay Thai. That’s what I call biting the hand that feeds. Myanmar, you should watch out for that guy.
Of course, authority figures in Muay Thai demanded that Lethwei’s higher-ups take action. And take action they did. The Myanmar Traditional Lethwei Federation prohibited Leduc from entering the country, as well as from competing in Lethwei. But according to the Federation’s press release, the ban would only be effective for two years. Personally, I think Leduc could care less about not being able to enter Myanmar. After all, I’m pretty sure he’s more comfortable in his luxurious Dubai home. And two years… As we all know, these are times of COVID-19. By the time the pandemic subsides, his ban may as well be over. Perhaps they were a little too soft with his punishment. With his disgraceful behavior, he should at least get a ten-year ban.
After the official statement, Leduc bit back in another Facebook post:
Concerning the comical post from a Lethwei group trying to attack me, they have done this before. It’s just a bunch of old dudes from a community club that don’t like me for being too real and outspoken, making “official letters”
Am I supposed to care? I fight for the 55 million Myanmar people, not 10 old dudes that don’t do nothing to help Lethwei grow. I have attracted more eyes to Lethwei and more economic growth in Myanmar in 5 years, than their entire group in the last 25 years. The funniest part is that they think they have any power
They’re not even the world federation, the most powerful one is WLF World Lethwei Federation.
Remember when you are too powerful or you’re changing things, you will always annoy some people. You can never please everyone, if you achieve anything in your life you will always make some enemies. The sooner you realize that the happier you will be. Fuck normal.
So he’s taking credit Myanmar’s economic growth and increased interest in Lethwei, the latter of which he’s actually responsible for. However, the fact Dave Leduc keeps saying he fights for Myanmar is sickening. Where the hell is he when the citizens need him most? All that money and fame is getting to his head and now he thinks he’s invincible. While he doesn’t exactly trash Myanmar the same way he trashed Thailand, he does tear apart the Myanmar Traditional Lethwei Federation, who are responsible for making his fights in Myanmar possible. In essence, they were partially responsible for making him a sporting hero in Myanmar. Already, Leduc is back doing what he does best: biting the hand that feeds.
He says in his post that he’s too powerful. But I can’t help but wonder who were the people that helped him become powerful. I wonder if he threw them under the bus once shit hit the fan with his disgusting social media behavior. From here, I can only watch if the World Lethwei Federation will back him up. Nevertheless, he’s already turned on the Myanmar Traditional Lethwei Federation. I wouldn’t be surprised if he did the same to the World Federation if they choose not to support him.
Final Thoughts
While I’m glad that the Myanmar’s sanctioning body for Lethwei took action after Dave Leduc’s disgraceful comments on social media, it is only a short-term solution. A two-year ban is far too short and I’m sure other countries outside of Asia are more than willing to put on a Lethwei fight for him. That’s the thing, sometimes shitty people prevail. But maybe there will come a time that he falls. Maybe he finally meets his match in Lethwei, a fighter who’s his own size. And, in a stroke of karma, knocks him out cold. One can only hope.
But perhaps Leduc will get his comeuppance after he hangs up those wraps. Who can say what life will be like after throwing so many headbutts and taking so many bareknuckle punches? Brain damage is no joke but yet, the thought of him suffering from an ailment delights me. I know, I’m a terrible human being. But a shitty individual like him deserves it, don’t you think?
Anyway, I understand that trash-talking is a common part of the fight game in the US and Europe. But here in Asia, it’s just not cool. It’s an unwritten rule that he broke. Furthermore, one appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience made Dave Leduc believe he was a super sports celebrity. All this fame is got to his head and he decided that he was in a position to call out any fighter he wanted, even someone as well-respected as Buakaw. And the fashion in which he called out Buakaw was extremely disrespectful, saying he would smash him and sharing a post of Buakaw’s private conflicts.
If he insists on sticking to these tactics, I suggest he try out for the UFC. After all, it’s what sells fights. But oh I forgot, he was focused on his own passion: fighting without gloves and with headbutts. In other words, he’s too afraid to try mixed martial arts for fear of getting his ass kicked. While I understand that talking trash helps sells tickets, it’s better to take the road less taken. It’s better to be humble and honorable. After all, this is what martial arts is about. And it’s not only martial arts, but life in general as well.
