Dave Leduc (born 13 December 1991) is a Canadian-Burmese Lethwei fighter. He is a former six-time Lethwei world champion who held the Openweight Lethwei World Championship and was undefeated under traditional rules KO to win. In 2014, Leduc first gained widespread notoriety by winning his fight in the controversial Prison Fight against an inmate inside Klongpai maximum security prison in Thailand. In 2016, he travelled to Myanmar to fight Burmese bareknuckle boxing, considered the world's most brutal sport, and defeated the reigning champion Tun Tun Min to become the first non-Burmese to win the Lethwei Golden Belt title. He married Moldovan model Irina Terehova in a nationally televised traditional Burmese wedding ceremony in Yangon watched by 30 million viewers in Myanmar and became a superstar celebrity in the country.
Leduc is the biggest star in the sport of Lethwei thanks to his exploits in World Lethwei Championship. and has been described as cultural phenomenon in Myanmar. He headlined the two biggest combat events in Myanmar and Cambodia's history, with the Lethwei trilogy fight vs. Tun Tun Min in Myanmar and the Kun Khmer match vs. Prom Samnang in Cambodia, which Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Manet described as having contributed to strengthening the ties of friendship between Cambodia and Myanmar.
Early life Born in Gatineau, Leduc starting playing baseball at a young age. In 2005, Leduc represented Outaouais in Baseball at the Summer Quebec Games in Amos and won the bronze medal. He also played in the United States as a pitcher. In 2011, at nineteen years old, Leduc was managing a nightclub in Ottawa and owned a limousine company. He also worked as a mortgage development manager at the Laurentian Bank of Canada.
Fighting career 2009-2015: Martial arts initiation and Prison Fight
In 2009, at the age of seventeen, a disagreement with his father forced Leduc to leave his home and live on the streets. Leduc decided to direct his anger into martial arts and joined the martial arts academy of Sifu Patrick Marcil in Gatineau, Quebec. He began learning Sanda, Jeet Kune Do principles, training his headbutts, and hitting the bag bareknuckle while competing in amateur fight nights. Leduc started training and organizing local no-gi grappling tournaments.
Sifu Patrick Marcil showed Leduc an old videotape of a Lethwei event in Myanmar and from this moment Leduc wanted to become a Lethwei fighter. In 2013, Lethwei being illegal in the province of Quebec and having difficulty getting a fight in Myanmar, Leduc went on his first trip to neighboring Thailand to begin his professional career. Myanmar's lack of training facilities led Leduc to move to Phuket in order to train at Tiger Muay Thai. Leduc fought MMA in Canada and went undefeated in his three amateur fights, winning two of them by submission via guillotine choke. His last win was against Tristar Gym fighter and Georges St-Pierre's protege, Yukinori Akazawa, which he won by unanimous decision.
In 2014, Leduc made his pro debut against future UFC welterweight fighter Jonathan Meunier. Having never cut weight as an amateur, Leduc fought at his walking weight 171 lbs. He lost by referee stoppage in the first round and would return to the cage in November 2015 to face future ONE Championship title contender Koyomi Matsushima, this time attempting to drop down to 155 lbs. Matsushima won by referee stoppage in the first round after Leduc was caught by a hammer fist trying to secure a triangle choke.
On July 12, 2014, Leduc took part in the controversial Prison Fight in Thailand, where inmates with serious convictions can reduce their sentences and even earn their freedom by winning a series of fights against foreign fighters. Prison Fight is sanctioned by the Thai Department of Corrections and described as a way for inmates to battle their way to an early release. The event took place in the maximum security Klongpai Central Prison, in Nakhon Ratchasima, two hours north of Bangkok. Leduc faced Thahan Chor.Chatchai, an experienced Muay Thai fighter who competed multiple times at Lumpini Stadium, but was arrested and incarcerated for trafficking methamphetamine. Leduc won by unanimous decision and left the top of his opponent's head lacerated because of repetitive elbow strikes.
When it came to fighting convicts, Leduc said to the Bangkok Post that he wouldn't feel bad if he won and his rival's sentence wasn't reduced. Leduc explained to Argentinian news Infobae the mentality of the inmates at the Prison Fight events, saying:
2016-2017: Championship pursuit and Lethwei in Japan In April 2016, Leduc competed in the 2016 Tiger Muay Thai Tryouts in Phuket, and went on to win a place on the professional fight team, along with teammate Dan Hooker.
On August 21, 2016, Leduc was invited to make his Lethwei debut at the 1st Myanmar Lethwei World Championship in Yangon, Myanmar, against Too Too, (34–0) undefeated, 75 kg Lethwei World Champion. Leduc dominated the fight and some furious fans threw projectiles in the ring. The fight ended in a draw according to traditional Lethwei rules.
After his dominant performance over Too Too, Leduc challenged Myanmar star Tun Tun Min, at the time, the Openweight Lethwei World Champion, however the Lethwei Golden Belt was not at stake. The match was held at Thein Pyu Stadium and organized by Great Tiger Group. Tun Tun Min was the heavy favorite heading into the fight and dominated the early rounds. Leduc came back and floored Tun Tun Min a few times. The match was closely contested and ended in a draw according to traditional Lethwei rules. After the match, Tun Tun Min was quoted saying that he had "difficulties with Dave's control of distance, but that he was confident to put on a better performance in their rematch" in December 2016.
On December 11, 2016, the very anticipated rematch took place at the Air KBZ Aung Lan Championship in Yangon, Myanmar. After previously fighting in October to a draw, Tun Tun Min put the openweight Lethwei Golden Belt on the line. Leduc opened the fight offensively, landing a fake roundhouse kick to sidekick and a counter elbow on Tun Tun Min's face soon after the opening bell. Following these attacks, Tun Tun Min's usual bull rushing style was replaced by a noticeable slower pace. The round continued with aggressive attacks from both sides. In round three, Leduc caught Tun Tun Min's overextended leg and flipped him to the floor twisting his knee, forcing his team to call his time-out. The third round continued with a visibly shaken Tun Tun Min. After a short exchange in the clinch followed by a final takedown, Tun Tun Min was not able to continue and forfeited. Leduc was awarded the Golden Belt, becoming the first non-Burmese fighter to hold the Lethwei openweight world title.
The journey to the world title was captured by Canal D as part of the Canadian documentary titled La Fosse aux Tigres which aired in November 2017. The documentary follows Leduc training and traveling to Yangon to win the Lethwei world title. The movie was filmed in Canada, Thailand and Myanmar.
On February 16, 2017, for the second event organized by the International Lethwei Federation Japan Leduc headlined Lethwei in Japan 2 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo Dome City, Japan. Leduc defended his title for the first time against veteran Lethwei fighter Phoe Kay. In the first round, Leduc performed a vicious spinning elbow knockout, forcing Phoe Kay's corner to call the permitted time-out. They revived him and the fight continued. In the second round, after several knockdowns, Leduc ended the match by KO, winning his first title defense. The Japanese people loved the brutality and aggression of Lethwei, and more events were announced to be held in Tokyo.
On April 18, 2017, for his second title defense, Leduc faced Turkish Australian fighter Adem Yilmaz at Lethwei in Japan 3 in Tokyo, Japan under traditional Lethwei rules. This match was the first Lethwei world title fight headlining two non-Burmese in the sport's history. For the occasion, the Ambassador of Myanmar to Japan was present at the event held in the Korakuen Hall. In the first round, Leduc scored two knockdowns and landed a powerful headbutt in the clinch. In the second round, Leduc dislocated his right index finger in the clinch and was not able to use his right hand the duration of the fight, but managed to land elbows and headbutts on Yilmaz. After five rounds, the fight was declared a draw according to traditional Lethwei rules with Leduc defending the Lethwei Golden Belt.
For his third title defense, Leduc was set to face American Veteran Cyrus Washington at Lethwei in Japan 4 in Tokyo, Japan. Washington pulled out of the fight citing a hand injury he sustained during training. Leduc's opponent changed to Muaythai Champion Nilmungkorn Sudsakorngym from Thailand. The matchup was billed as Lethwei vs. Muaythai. Leduc made his entrance dressed as the grim reaper at the Tokyo Dome City Hall. In the first round, he landed a headbutt on Nilmungkorn, followed by a right-kick to right-punch move, hitting Nilmungkorn on the jaw forcing him to use his time-out. Leduc ended the match with a knee to the face winning by knockout at 2m:23sec of the second round.
"I respect Cyrus a lot, he is a crafty veteran, he has fought some of the best fighters of the sport, but he has never fought anyone like me. I am not like the others, I'm the King of Lethwei and he wants a taste of the crown", Leduc said in an interview.
On August 20, 2017, Leduc faced Cyrus Washington inside the Thuwunna National Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar, to defend his openweight Lethwei world title, at the Myanmar Lethwei World Championship. With more than 100 fights on his record, Washington was the more experienced fighter of the two with Leduc having only 22 fights. During Leduc's rise in Lethwei, fans often entertained the idea of a match with Cyrus Washington and pushed for a fight between the two. Having been the only other fighter to score a win over Tun Tun Min, Washington used his time-out and spent remaining of the fight backing up from Leduc and going to the mat upon entering in the clinch trying to protect his lacerated forehead from any further damage. The fight was officially declared a draw under traditional Lethwei rules. and marked Leduc's fourth consecutive title defence in eight months.
On 10 December 2017, Leduc faced former WKN world champion heavyweight kickboxer Corentin Jallon from France. "Fighting him is gonna be like a crocodile bringing a gazelle in the water." Leduc said. Historically, the Air KBZ Aung Lan Golden Belt Championship was a kryptonite event for Lethwei champions, Leduc having won the title by defeating Tun Tun Min, who had won it from Saw Nga Man on the same stage. Inside the Thein Pyu Stadium in Yangon, Leduc executed his ceremonial fight dance Lethwei yay, announcing the start of the match. Just before the first exchange, Leduc challenged Jallon with the Lekkha moun. The Frenchman automatically replied with a flurry of punches, which Leduc countered with an elbow counterattack. In the third round, Leduc executed a diving headbutt which landed on Jallon's right eye, drawing blood. In the fourth round, Leduc had Jallon bent over the ropes from trying to avoid a headbutt. Leduc opened deep cuts and heavily used his headbutts in the clinch. In the fourth round, while he had Jallon's back, Leduc did a provocative humping movement behind him. The fight was declared a draw according to traditional rules and Leduc retained the openweight Lethwei Golden Belt, marking his fifth consecutive title defence.
2018: Myanmar Lethwei World Championship and Tun Tun Min Trilogy
On 19 August 2018, at the 3rd Myanmar Lethwei World Championship, Leduc returned to face former Rajadamnern Stadium, WPMF and IKF Champion Diesellek TopkingBoxing inside the Thein Pyu Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar.