International Lethwei Federation Japan Explained

International Lethwei Federation Japan
Type:Lethwei promotion
Foundation:2016
Location:Tokyo, Japan[1]
Key People:Kakuo Shimizu [2]
Owner:Yoshimitsu Mitsui
(First On Stage Co., Ltd)[3]

International Lethwei Federation Japan, also known as ILFJ, is a Japanese Lethwei promotion company with headquarters in Tokyo.[4]

History

In 2016, the ILFJ acquired a ‘’Grade-A’’ promoter licence from the Myanmar Traditional Lethwei Federation,[5] allowing them to organize traditional Lethwei events in Japan.[6] [7] ILFJ then entered into a partnership with Myanmar businessman Mr. Wunna[8] CEO of Myanmar Media Group (MMG), the organizer of the Myanmar Lethwei World Championship, to share fighters and co-organize the Lethwei events in Japan.[9] The first ILFJ event titled Lethwei Grand Prix in Japan 2016,[10] was held on 27 October 2016 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

On April 18, 2017, the Ambassador of Myanmar to Japan attended the first ever Lethwei world title fight headlining two non-Burmese in the sport's history at Lethwei in Japan 3.[11] The event organized by ILFJ featured reigning champion Dave Leduc vs Adem Yilmaz inside the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.[12]

On July 10, 2022, hosted a 10 fights Lethwei tournament named Lethwei Unbeatable in Oyabe, Japan.[13] [14] [15]

Media coverage

After having an inaugural first event in the Japan in Tokyo (Lethwei Grand Prix 2016), FITE TV[16] signed a multi-year agreement to broadcast the promotion's Lethwei events.[17]

In 2017, the ILFJ signed a broadcasting deal with MNTV[18] to be aired in Myanmar[19] and livestreaming[20] available in Japan on AbemaTV.[21]

Events

EventDateVenueLocation
15Lethwei in Japan 15: KizunaEdion Arena Osaka, Japan
14Lethwei in Japan 14: Mysterious TenmeiKorakuen Hall Tokyo, Japan
13Lethwei in Japan 13: First IntentionKorakuen Hall Tokyo, Japan
12Lethwei in Japan 12: Proof of the BraveKorakuen Hall Tokyo, Japan
11Lethwei in Japan 11: Millennium ForceKorakuen Hall Tokyo, Japan
10Lethwei in Japan 10: InoriKorakuen Hall Tokyo, Japan
9Lethwei in Japan 9: KodoKorakuen Hall Tokyo, Japan
8Lethwei in Japan 8: SamuraiKorakuen Hall Tokyo, Japan
7Lethwei in Japan 7: YukiKorakuen Hall Tokyo, Japan
6Lethwei Grand Prix Japan 2017Korakuen Hall Tokyo, Japan
5Lethwei in Japan 5: NexuriseKorakuen Hall Tokyo, Japan
4Lethwei in Japan 4: Frontier Tokyo, Japan
3Lethwei in Japan 3: GritKorakuen Hall Tokyo, Japan
2Lethwei in Japan 2: LegacyKorakuen Hall
1Lethwei Grand Prix Japan 2016Korakuen Hall

[22]

List of champions

DivisionUpper weight limitChampionSinceTitle defenses
801NaN1+ June 16, 2017 (Lethwei in Japan 4: Frontier) 0
651NaN1 Thar A Thae Ta Pwint June 16, 2017 (Lethwei in Japan 4: Frontier) 1
601NaN1 Yuta Hamamoto June 16, 2017 (Lethwei in Japan 4: Frontier) 0
621NaN1 November 15, 2017 (Lethwei Grand Prix Japan 2017) 1

World championship history

Openweight Championship

No Weight limit: 801NaN1 and up

width=1%No.width=21%Namewidth=25%Eventwidth=12%Datewidth=8%Reignwidth=32%Defenses
1align=left Dave Leduc
def. Nilmungkorn Sudsakorngym
align=center Lethwei in Japan 4: Frontier
Tokyo, Japan
align=center June 16, 2017align=center 631 days
(Vacated)
align=center Vacated March 9, 2019 [23]

Rules

ILFJ uses traditional Lethwei rules, with no point system. The only way to win is by knockout or because of an injury or the inability to fight any more. At the end of the match if the two fighters are still standing, the fight is declared a draw.

Rounds

Each bout can be booked as 4 or 5 rounds fight with 3 minutes per round and a 2-minute break in between rounds. Championship bouts are 5 round with 3 minutes per round.

Weight classes

ILFJ utilizes the following weight classes:

Weight class nameUpper limit
in kilograms (kg)in pounds (lb)
Bantamweight60132.3
Featherweight65143.3
Welterweight70154.3
Middleweight75165.3
OpenweightNo weight limit

Notable fighters

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: (Japanese)無敗のミャンマー人と対する一休そうじゅん. Yahoo! Japan. 12 September 2018. 2 November 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181104010122/https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20180809-00000004-gbr-fight. 4 November 2018. dead.
  2. Web site: New promoter ILFJ. Twitter. 5 April 2021.
  3. Web site: 11 · 15 "LETHWEI GP JAPAN 2017" Penalties for reduction of fight money to Kohei Gojigyo . The Weekly Fight. 17 December 2017.
  4. Web site: T.I. 世界で一番過激な格闘技 ラウェイの世界. VICE Japan. Japanese. 17 March 2018.
  5. Web site: (Japanese) Japan's first MTBF-certified raiding event "Lethwei Grand Prix in Japan 2016" is held at Korakuen Hall. Battle News. 12 September 2016.
  6. News: Lethwei in Japan – A History. 26 October 2020. BjornPossel. Overtime Heroics.
  7. Web site: Myanmar-Japan Lethwei fights hosted in Japan. The Global New Light of Myanmar. 2 March 2018.
  8. Web site: 後楽園大会出場の外国人戦手が来日&当日券情報(Japanese). ILFJ.
  9. Web site: Burmese kick-boxing champ KOs Australian. Burmese DVB. 28 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20181103210350/http://www.dvb.no/news/burmese-kick-boxing-champ-kos-australian/72131. 3 November 2018. dead.
  10. Web site: Lethwei GP in Japan 2016. Bout Review. 4 March 2018. 3 November 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181103210342/http://www.boutreview.com/2/schedule/lethwei/161027lethweigp.html. dead.
  11. Web site: Lethwei in Japan 3 GRIT. Myanma Allin Daily. en-US. 21 April 2017.
  12. Web site: တင္း အားကစား ႐ုပ္သံျမန္မာ့ရာလက္ေဝွခ်န္ပီယံ ေဒ့ဗ္လက္ဒက္ ခ်န္ပီယံဘြဲ ဆက္ထိန္. Burmese DVB. 19 April 2017.
  13. Web site: James Reese. Lethwei Unbeatable Full Fight Card. Lethwei World. 25 June 2022.
  14. Web site: 【LETHWEI×UNBEATABLE】地元現役議員がエキシビションマッチで元Bigbang王者に挑戦、MMAファイターやBreaking Down出場選手も参戦. Yahoo! Japan. Japanese. 16 August 2022.
  15. Web site: 【LETHWEI×UNBEATABLE】北陸に初上陸、ラウェイルールで東修平と地元・富山の吉瀧光が対戦. Yahoo! Japan. Japanese. 16 August 2022.
  16. Web site: FITE TV TO AIR LETHWEI IN JAPAN 4 FRONTIER. Mike Jonhson. PWInsiderXTRA. 14 June 2017.
  17. Web site: Livestream by FITE『LETHWEI in Japan 5 NEXURISE. Toshiya Kurenai. Ameblo Japan. 27 September 2017.
  18. Web site: (Japanese)【ミャンマー】キックボクシングに似た格闘技. Global News Asia. 8 November 2018.
  19. Web site: Myanmar Lethwei to take place in Tokyo. MDN. Myanmar Digital News. 19 February 2018.
  20. Web site: LETHWEI GRAND PRIX JAPAN 2017. Abema. Japanese. 4 March 2018.
  21. Web site: 3度目となる日本大会『バガン遺跡群復興支援チャリティーLETHWEI IN JAPAN 3 ~GRIT~』を緊急生中継. Abema Times. Japanese. 18 April 2017. 2 November 2018. 3 November 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181103091822/https://fight.abematimes.com/posts/2277934. dead.
  22. Web site: ILFJ events. ILFJ. 2018-02-15.
  23. Web site: DAVE LEDUC CLEARS THE DECKS FOR WLC. Eaton. Matt. The Fight Nation. en-US. 26 March 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190413202739/https://www.thefightnation.com/dave-leduc-clears-the-decks-for-wlc/. 13 April 2019. dead.