Draft:Lethwei Golden Belt
Lethwei award
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Lethwei Golden Belt, also known simply as the Golden Belt, is regarded as the highest and most prestigious award for Lethwei fighters under traditional rules in Myanmar.[1][2] The Golden Belt is the most high-profile belt in Lethwei with the champion of open weight category being considered best fighter in Lethwei.[3][4]
| Golden Belt | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Lethwei Champion |
| Sponsored by | Myanmar Lethwei Federation |
| Country | Myanmar |
History
In 2016, Canadian born fighter Dave Leduc became the first non-Burmese fighter to win the Lethwei golden belt.[5][6][7]
Openweight champions
Lethwei champions in the openweight category, sometimes referred as the "free weight" champions,[8]}} compete at the weight of 80kg and under, but its not uncommon to see openweight champion accept challenges from heavier opponents. This is historically the heaviest category in Myanmar traditional Lethwei. There is only one Golden Belt champion per weight categories, with the openweight class champion being considered the strongest fighter in Myanmar.[9] The openweight Golden Belt champion is the equivalent of being pound-for-pound champion in the world of Lethwei.[10] At the openweight class, the Golden Belt is considered the most high-profile belt.[3] Win Zin Oo, Burmese gym owner and former coach of Lethwei openweight champion Lone Chaw explains:
| “ | If you win the golden belt you are the national champion, there is only one champion in each division, but there is also an openweight champion who is considered to be the best fighter in Myanmar.[11] | ” |
