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Features|Boxing

In Myanmar’s relatively peaceful Ayeyarwady, Lethwei makes violent return

The isolated delta region sees people immersing themselves in the sport.

Sweat flies off Myint Myat Hein’s face as he takes a jab from his opponent, a fighter from Daung Myanmar Club. Sunday 13 August 2023.
Sweat flies off Myint Myat Hein’s face as he takes a punch from his opponent, a fighter from Daung Myanmar Club. [Al Jazeera]
Published On 7 Nov 20237 Nov 2023
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In recent months, Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady region has been largely free from the conflict and violence that has engulfed much of the country since the military seized power in February 2021.

The delta, hemmed in by the Bay of Bengal, is isolated from other parts of Myanmar where anti-coup forces have expanded, and is without a land border with a neighbouring country, making it more challenging to secure supplies from overseas.

Inside a hangar, a crowd is pressed around a ring in which arms flail, kicks fly, knees crush into ribs, and, occasionally, a head is violently thrust into an opponent’s face. This is Lethwei.

Myanmar’s brutal national sport is dubbed the “art of nine limbs” for each body part that can be employed in the attack: fists, feet, elbows, knees and, uniquely, heads.

Unlike other martial arts in the region, Lethwei is bare-knuckle, with only thin gauze wrapped around the fighters’ fists to protect their hands.

The country’s beleaguered energy network cannot provide power from the grid, so a generator hums throughout the day.

It powers some strip lights hanging above the ring and a sound system, which strains beneath the distorted cries from the ring announcer as each blow lands.

Power Punch, a team of fighters from Yangon, have made the two-and-a-half-hour journey to this small town to take part in the competition.

Their bouts are an opportunity to fight in front of a large audience, build their and their gym’s reputation in the ring, and earn some prize money.

The team comes away with a win, two draws and a loss. The earnings are not substantial, and some of them have just a couple of weeks for their wounds to heal before their next fight in Myanmar’s capital Naypyidaw.

Sayar Hein, a former fighter and now owner and coach at Power Punch, the experience of a competitive bout is critical for the young fighters, even if they do not win.

“We always speak to the fighters after the fights to determine if they performed well and to correct any mistakes,” he said.

Than Phyo Zaw, 23, practices his jabs against three stacked car tyres at Power Punch.
Than Phyo Zaw, 23, practises his jabs against three stacked car tyres at Power Punch. [Al Jazeera]
Power Punch coach Aung Lay stretches out Zaw Du La Mashi’s leg pre-fight. Squeezed between the ticket booth and the bag check, the fighters have little room to wrap their feet and fists in gauze, and massage and stretch out their muscles.
Power Punch coach Aung Lay stretches out Zaw Du La Mashi’s leg pre-fight. Squeezed between the ticket booth and the bag check, the fighters have little room to wrap their feet and fists in gauze or to massage and stretch out their muscles. [Al Jazeera]
The ring and seats are set up early – the fight card begins around midday and is done by 5pm, helping fighters from further afield get back before the night-time curfew that has been in place since the military seized power.
The ring and seats are set up early – the fight card begins around midday and is over by 5pm, helping fighters from further afield get back before the night-time curfew that has been in place since the military seized power. [Al Jazeera]
Members of Myanmar’s Air Force provide security for the event, inspecting the bags of those entering the venue.
Members of Myanmar’s air force provide security for the event, inspecting the bags of those entering the venue. [Al Jazeera]
Hundreds of people turn up to watch the fights in Pantanaw, drawing in fans from the surrounding towns and villages in Ayeyarwaddy Region who pay 7,000 Myanmar kyat (around $2 at the market rate).
Hundreds of people turn up to watch the fights in Pantanaw, drawing in fans from the surrounding towns and villages in the Ayeyarwaddy region, who pay 7,000 Myanmar kyat (about $2). [Al Jazeera]
Not everyone is buying a ticket for the bouts – three young people climb atop a wall at the side of the venue in Pantanaw to peek at the flights through an opening.
Not everyone is buying a ticket for the bouts – three young people climb onto a wall at the side of the venue in Pantanaw to peek at the flights through an opening. [Al Jazeera]
Lethwei’s traditional rules encourage an aggressive approach: fighters can only win if they knock out their opponent. If both still stand at the end, there is no points system to find a victor. The bout is declared a draw.
Lethwei’s traditional rules encourage an aggressive approach: fighters can win only if they knock out their opponent. If both still stand at the end, there is no points system to find a victor and the bout ends in a draw. [Al Jazeera]
Zaw Du La Mashi, a Kachin fighter known to his friends as “Aung La” due to his resemblance to Myanmar world champion mixed martial arts fighter Aung La N’Sang works his opponent back towards the ropes. With neither fighter achieving a knockout, his bout is declared a draw, earning each 40,000 Myanmar kyats ($12) on top of any tips from the audience.
Zaw Du La Mashi, a Kachin fighter known to his friends as Aung La due to his resemblance to Myanmar world champion mixed martial arts fighter Aung La N’Sang, works his opponent back towards the ropes. With neither fighter achieving a knockout, his bout is declared a draw, earning each 40,000 kyats ($12) on top of any tips from the audience. [Al Jazeera]
Myint Myat Hein looks on concerned after knocking down his opponent, earning a victory and 50,000 Myanmar kyat ($15) in prize money.
Myint Myat Hein looks on, concerned after knocking down his opponent, earning a victory and 50,000 kyat ($15) in prize money. [Al Jazeera]
A member of the traditional Myanmar hsaing waing hits his cymbals to match the intensity of the fight.
A member of the traditional Myanmar orchestra hsaing waing hits his cymbals to match the intensity of the fight. [Al Jazeera]
Inside a small caged shed adjacent to the hangar, 39-year-old Swedish national Helene Thor prepares for the final fight of the day and her fourth lethwei bout.
Inside a small caged shed next to the hangar, 39-year-old Swedish national Helene Thor prepares for the final fight of the day and her fourth Lethwei bout. [Al Jazeera]
A corporal in Myanmar’s Air Force stands guard at the corner of the ring, surrounded by lethwei fans.
A corporal in Myanmar’s air force stands guard at the corner of the ring, surrounded by Lethwei fans. [Al Jazeera]
Fighters from Yangon leave Myanmar’s commercial capital in darkness at 5am, with 13 people, including coaches and friends, squeezed into the back of a small Toyota truck.
Fighters from Yangon leave Myanmar’s commercial capital in darkness at 5am, with 13 people, including coaches and friends, squeezed into the back of a small truck. [Al Jazeera]


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