Lethwei
Unarmed Burmese martial art
厘衛 · ラウェイ
- Country of origin
- Myanmar
- Type
- combat sport
Lethwei, Let-hwei or Lek Whay (UK: or US: , LEH-k way ; Burmese: လက်ဝှေ့, IPA: [lɛʔ.ʍḛ]), also called Burmese boxing, is a full-contact combat sport originating from Myanmar and is considered one of the most brutal martial arts in the world. Lethwei fighters use stand-up striking techniques such as kicks, knees, elbows, and punches. The use of headbutts is also permitted. Fighters compete bareknuckle, wrapping their hands with only tape and gauze. 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". In traditional rules, each corner is allowed one two-minute timeout per fight to revive a KO’d fighter. This, combined with its bareknuckle nature, gave Lethwei a reputation for being one of the bloodiest and most violent martial arts. Although popular throughout Myanmar, Lethwei has been primarily and historically associated with the Karen peoples of the Kayin State; the vast majority of competitive Lethwei fighters are ethnolinguistically of Karen descent.
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q1134392 (CC0); quoted introduction from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.