| Dave Leduc | |
|---|---|
 Leduc in 2019 | |
| Born | (1991-12-13)December 13, 1991 (age 34) Gatineau,Quebec, Canada |
| Nickname | The King of Lethwei Steel Giraffe ဒေဝ (pronounced 'day-wa')[1] |
| Nationality |  Canada Myanmar |
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) |
| Weight | 165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb) |
| Style | Lethwei,Sanda,Jeet Kune Do |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Team | Patenaude Martial Arts (2009–present) |
| Trainer | Sifu Patrick Marcil |
| Rank | Blue belt inBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu[2] |
| Years active | 2013–2023 |
| Other information | |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Website | Official website |
| Signature | |
 | |
Dave Leduc (born 13 December 1991) is a Canadian-BurmeseLethweifighter.[3] He is a former six-time Lethwei world champion who held theOpenweight Lethwei World Championship and was undefeated undertraditional rulesKO to win.[4] In 2014, Leduc first gained widespread notoriety by winning his fight in the controversialPrison Fight against an inmate insideKlongpai maximum security prison in Thailand.[5] In 2016, he travelled toMyanmar to fightBurmese bareknuckle boxing, considered the world's most brutal sport,[1][6][7] and defeated the reigning championTun Tun Min to become the first non-Burmese to win the LethweiGolden Belt title.[8][9][10] Leduc marriedMoldovan modelIrina Terehova in a nationally televised traditionalBurmese wedding ceremony inYangon watched by 30 million viewers inMyanmar and became a superstar celebrity in the country.[11][12][13][14] He is the biggest star in the sport of Lethwei and has been described as cultural phenomenon in Myanmar.[15][16] Leduc headlined the two biggest combat events in Myanmar and Cambodia's history, with theLethwei trilogy fight vs. Tun Tun Min in Myanmar[17] and theKun Khmer match vs. Prom Samnang in Cambodia,[18] whichPrime Minister of CambodiaHun Manet described as having contributed to strengthening the ties of friendship between Cambodia and Myanmar.[19]
Born inGatineau, Leduc starting playing baseball at a young age.[20] In 2005, Leduc representedOutaouais in Baseball at the SummerQuebec Games inAmos and won the bronze medal.[21] He also played in the United States as apitcher.[22] In 2011, at nineteen years old, Leduc was managing a nightclub inOttawa and owned alimousine company.[23][1] He also worked as a mortgage development manager at theLaurentian Bank of Canada.[24]
In 2009, at the age of seventeen, a disagreement with his father forced Leduc to leave his home and live on the streets.[16][25] Leduc decided to direct his anger into martial arts and joined the martial arts academy ofSifu Patrick Marcil inGatineau, Quebec.[26] He began learningSanda,Jeet Kune Do principles, training his headbutts, and hitting the bag bareknuckle while competing in amateur fight nights.[27][28] Leduc started training and organizing localno-gi grappling tournaments.[16]
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.[16] In 2013, Lethwei being illegal in theprovince of Quebec[29] and having difficulty getting a fight in Myanmar, Leduc went on his first trip to neighboring Thailand to begin his professional career.[6] Myanmar's lack of training facilities led Leduc to move toPhuket in order to train atTiger Muay Thai.[23][30][31] Leduc fought MMA in Canada and went undefeated in his three amateur fights, winning two of them by submission viaguillotine choke.[32] His last win was againstTristar Gym fighter andGeorges St-Pierre's protege, Yukinori Akazawa,[33] which he won by unanimous decision.[34]
In 2014, Leduc made his pro debut against futureUFCwelterweight fighterJonathan Meunier. Having nevercut 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 futureONE Championship title contenderKoyomi Matsushima, this time attempting to drop down to 155 lbs.[35] Matsushima won by referee stoppage in the first round after Leduc was caught by a hammer fist trying to secure atriangle choke.[36]
On July 12, 2014, Leduc took part in the controversialPrison 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.[37][38] Prison Fight is sanctioned by theThai Department of Corrections and described as a way for inmates to battle their way to an early release.[39] The event took place in the maximum securityKlongpai Central Prison, inNakhon Ratchasima, two hours north ofBangkok.[5] Leduc faced Thahan Chor.Chatchai, an experiencedMuay Thai fighter who competed multiple times atLumpini Stadium, but was arrested and incarcerated for traffickingmethamphetamine. 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 theBangkok Post thathe wouldn't feel bad if he won and his rival's sentence wasn't reduced.[40] Leduc explained to Argentinian newsInfobae the mentality of the inmates at thePrison Fight events, saying:
"They do not fight for money, they fight for their freedom. I only fight for honor and glory."[41]"They deserve to get my 100%, if he wins, then he earns it."[40]
In April 2016, Leduc competed in the2016Tiger Muay Thai Tryouts inPhuket, and went on to win a place on the professional fight team, along with teammateDan Hooker.[42]
On August 21, 2016, Leduc was invited to make hisLethwei debut at the 1st Myanmar Lethwei World Championship inYangon, Myanmar,[43] againstToo Too, (34–0) undefeated, 75 kg Lethwei World Champion.[44][45] Leduc dominated the fight and some furious fans threw projectiles in the ring.[46] The fight ended in a draw according totraditional Lethwei rules.[47][27][48]
After his dominant performance overToo Too, Leduc challenged Myanmar starTun Tun Min, at the time, theOpenweight Lethwei World Champion, however theLethwei Golden Belt was not at stake.[49] The match was held atThein 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 totraditional Lethwei rules.[50] 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.[51]
On December 11, 2016, the very anticipated rematch took place at theAir KBZ Aung Lan Championship inYangon, Myanmar.[52] After previously fighting in October to a draw,Tun Tun Min put the openweightLethwei Golden Belt on the line.[8] Leduc opened the fight offensively, landing a fakeroundhouse kick tosidekick 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 histime-out.[23] 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.[53][30][54]
The journey to the world title was captured byCanal D[55] as part of the Canadian documentary titledLa Fosse aux Tigres which aired in November 2017.[56][57] The documentary follows Leduc training and traveling toYangon to win theLethwei world title.[58]The movie was filmed inCanada,Thailand andMyanmar.[59]
On February 16, 2017, for the second event organized by theInternational Lethwei Federation Japan[60] Leduc headlinedLethwei in Japan 2 at theKorakuen Hall inTokyo Dome City, Japan.[61] Leduc defended his title for the first time against veteran Lethwei fighter Phoe Kay.[62][63] In the first round, Leduc performed a vicious spinning elbow knockout, forcing Phoe Kay's corner to call the permittedtime-out.[64] 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.[65][66] The Japanese people loved the brutality and aggression of Lethwei, and more events were announced to be held inTokyo.[67][68]
On April 18, 2017, for his second title defense,[69] Leduc facedTurkish Australian fighter Adem Yilmaz atLethwei in Japan 3 in Tokyo, Japan[70] undertraditional Lethwei rules.[71][66][72] 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 theKorakuen Hall.[73] 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 totraditional Lethwei rules with Leduc defending theLethwei Golden Belt.[74][75]
For his third title defense, Leduc was set to face American VeteranCyrus Washington atLethwei in Japan 4 inTokyo,Japan.[76] Washington pulled out of the fight citing a hand injury he sustained during training.[77][78] Leduc's opponent changed to Muaythai ChampionNilmungkorn Sudsakorngym fromThailand.[79][80] The matchup was billed as Lethwei vs.Muaythai.[79][81] Leduc made his entrance dressed asthe grim reaper at theTokyo 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 histime-out. Leduc ended the match with a knee to the face winning by knockout at 2m:23sec of the second round.[82][83][84][85]
"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.[86]
On August 20, 2017, Leduc facedCyrus Washington inside theThuwunna National Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar, to defend his openweight Lethwei world title, at theMyanmar Lethwei World Championship.[87] With more than 100 fights on his record, Washington was the more experienced fighter of the two with Leduc having only 22 fights.[88] During Leduc's rise in Lethwei, fans often entertained the idea of a match withCyrus Washington and pushed for a fight between the two. Having been the only other fighter to score a win overTun Tun Min,[89][90] Washington used histime-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 undertraditional Lethwei rules.[91] and marked Leduc's fourth consecutive title defence in eight months.[92]
On 10 December 2017, Leduc faced formerWKN world champion heavyweight kickboxerCorentin Jallon from France.[93][91]"Fighting him is gonna be like a crocodile bringing a gazelle in the water." Leduc said.[94] Historically, theAir KBZ Aung Lan Golden Belt Championship was akryptonite event for Lethwei champions, Leduc having won the title by defeatingTun Tun Min, who had won it fromSaw Nga Man on the same stage. Inside theThein Pyu Stadium inYangon, Leduc executed his ceremonial fight danceLethwei yay, announcing the start of the match. Just before the first exchange, Leduc challenged Jallon with theLekkha 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.[95] Leduc opened deep cuts and heavily used his headbutts in the clinch.[10] In the fourth round, while he had Jallon's back, Leduc did a provocativehumping movement behind him.[96][97] The fight was declared a draw according totraditional rules and Leduc retained the openweightLethwei Golden Belt, marking his fifth consecutive title defence.[98][99]
On 19 August 2018, at the 3rd Myanmar Lethwei World Championship,[100] Leduc returned to face formerRajadamnern Stadium,WPMF andIKF ChampionDiesellek TopkingBoxing inside theThein Pyu Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar.[101]
The matchup was mediatized asLethwei vs Muaythai. With more than 200 fights to his record, Diesellek was the more experienced fighter of the two, with Leduc having only 24 fights.[102] For this fight and for the first time in his career, Leduc flew his longtime trainerSifu Patrick Marcil to Myanmar.[103] Prior to the bout, Leduc said in an interview that he respected Diesellek's left kick,[104] having knocked out current Lumpini Stadium and Rajadamnern Stadium championYoussef Boughanem in brutal manner atLumpini Stadium in 2012.[105]
The fight started with some exchanges in the clinch, with Diesellek trying the first headbutt of the fight which missed and Leduc landing a left uppercut.[106] Leduc continued with a fake right knee, fake left knee, followed by a right elbow, knocking out his opponent.[107] Diesellek's corner called for the allowedinjury time-out and woke him up.[102] The fight resumed with Diesellek landing a left kick to Leduc's head. Leduc threw a fake kick to punch, followed by a knee to jaw knocking out Diesellek and breaking his jaw.[108] Leduc won by KO at 2:23 in the first round, marking his sixth title defence. He raised theMyanmar flag and performed the traditional victory danceLethwei yay.[109]
On December 16, 2018, the very anticipated third match betweenTun Tun Min took place at theAir KBZ Aung Lan Golden Belt Championship inYangon. The fight was billed asThe Biggest Fight In Lethwei History.[110][111] The third fight saw Leduc fighting out of the red corner, the first time a foreigner has been able to do so in the history of Lethwei, as it is customary to have non-Burmese fighters come out of the blue corner.[112] Tun Tun Min was fully recovered, but had tremendous difficulty with the distance control of Leduc. At 1:28 seconds of the first round, Leduc landed aheadbutt to the temple in the clinch which floored Tun Tun Min, but managed to get up at thecount of eight.
At the 2:35 of the same round, Leduc landed a jumping elbow that knocked out Tun Tun Min.[113] His team had to call for the2-minute injury time-out to revive him and attend to a cut above his right eye.[114][115] The later rounds saw both fighters vying for a finish but ended without another knockout at the final bell and Leduc retained theLethwei Golden Belt title.[116]
In 2017, Leduc had expressed his disagreement with theWorld Lethwei Championship's usage of themodern Lethwei rules also known asTournament rules.[117] In 1996, the tournament rules was created by theMTLF and added to some tournaments by removing the controversialinjury time-out and adding a decision to determine a winner in the occasion there was no knockout.[72] "It's no secret that I have had real concerns at the beginning about the modern ruleset of WLC. Looking back I think it was more a territorial feud, I was protecting my territory." Leduc toldVICE[7]
On March 9, 2019, despite a long-running feud with the promotion,[118] Leduc announced that he had signed an exclusive contract with theWorld Lethwei Championship which would make it impossible for him to defend his world titles from other Lethwei organizations.[119]
On March 25, 2019, Leduc held a press conference at theKaraweik Palace inYangon,Myanmar announcing that he was relinquishing three of his four Lethwei world titles.[120] The three titles included theMLWC Title,Air KBZ Aung Lan Championship title and theILFJ Openweight Lethwei World title,[121] but keeping theLethwei Golden Belt, therefore remaining the openweight Lethwei World Champion undertraditional rules.[122] Leduc became the sports channel ambassador forCanal+ Myanmar.[123][6]
In 2019, for his promotional debut atWorld Lethwei Championship, Leduc was set to faceTUF 11 &TUF 25 competitor andUFC veteranSeth Baczynski.[124][125][6] The bout was scheduled as the main event ofWLC 9: King of Nine Limbs insideMandalar Thiri Indoor Stadium inMandalay,Myanmar[126] for the inaugural Cruiserweight World Lethwei Championship.[127][128] Baczynski felt confident leading up to the fight because he had significantly more fighting experience than Leduc.[129] The weigh ins and face-off was officiated byFull Metal Dojo founder Jon Nutt presenting the WLC belt.[130] On August 2, 2019, Leduc landed an elbow strike which exploded Bacynski's left ear[131] and then knocked him out with punches to win the inauguralCruiserweight World Lethwei Championship.[132][133] Following his performance, Leduc was invited onThe Joe Rogan Experience podcast byJoe Rogan and both men discussedLethwei.[134] Leduc announced that theWLC had plans to host an event in theUnited States.[135]
On 7 November 2020, Leduc was challenged by AmericanCyrus Washington for the second and final time to determine who is the best foreign Lethwei fighter.[136][137] The fight was undertraditional Lethwei rules at theOutlaw Saloon inCheyenne, Wyoming inside a cage and Leduc won the fight by TKO.[138][139][140] Leduc retained the Lethwei openweight world title.[141]
On January 29, 2023, Leduc officially vacated theopenweight Lethwei World Championship title before the fight betweenTun Tun Min andThway Thit Win Hlaing. As soon as the fight started the title was up for grabs.[142] In the event where the champion vacates the title, the two top contenders are required to fight for the belt. In these cases, in order to have a champion, the fight cannot end in a draw, a winner must obligatory be declared even if there is no knockout. Tway Thit Win Hlaing was awarded the title[142] and succeeded Leduc as Myanmar openweight champion.[143]
In 2023, theWorld Lethwei Federation agreed forProm Samnang fromCambodia to challenge Leduc because of his extensive winning streak inKun Khmer.[144][145][146] The match was scheduled to take place inBanská Bystrica,[147] but was cancelled because Samnang was denied aSchengen visa to enterSlovakia.[4]
In August 2023, Leduc announced that he was set to retire completely from professional fighting and will fight one more time underKun Khmer inCambodia.[148][149] Leduc stated he would compete under Kun Khmer rules out of respect for the host country.[150] Leduc invited thePrime Minister of Cambodia His ExcellencyHun Manet to attend his match against Prom Samnang. Manet respond and agreed to meet Leduc when he comes toKingdom of Cambodia.[151]
On November 3, 2023, Leduc and Samnang were invited to thePeace Palace inPhnom Penh to meet withPrime Minister of Cambodia His ExcellencyHun Manet. Manet was quoted saying that the match between the two fighterswill reflect mutual respect and contribute to strengthen the ties of friendship between Cambodia and Myanmar and that this willraise awareness aboutKun Khmer around the world the Cambodian Premier added.[19] The Kun Khmer Federation (KKF) hired 10 assistant coaches to help Samnang in his preparation against Leduc.[152] The match was referred ashistoric andthe most anticipated fight of the year.[153]
On November 5, 2023, Leduc and Samnang fought underKun Khmer rules, 1 round of 9 minutes with ropes wrapped around their fists.[154][155] Leduc dominated the majority of the fight and dropped Samnang with an overhand right.[18] After nine minutes without a knockout, per MAS Fight rules, the fight was declared a draw.[156] The fight was streamed online and watched live by over 15 million people.[18]
Leduc is considered a pioneer of Lethwei.[157] Leduc is referred to as theKing of Lethwei.[158] After winning the world title in 2016, Leduc dedicated his career to Lethwei and has been widely credited for the sport's rise in international popularity.[91][159][160][85][117][26] Leduc expressed his hopes that Lethwei fighters will remain true to the traditions of the martial art as it grows in popularity.[89][161] Leduc helped open gyms throughout Myanmar[97][162] and promoted Lethwei outside of the country.[163] On 8 October 2017,Myint Htwe, theMinister of Health and Sports of Myanmar awarded Leduc with a Certificate of Honor in recognition for his efforts as a proponent of Myanmar's national sport, being on the forefront of Lethwei's expansion internationally.[164] Leduc is known for his elbows and headbutts as well as for his unpredictable and unorthodox style.[27][165][91] He often taunts and provokes his opponents during the fight.[97] Leduc has stated eatingmohinga, enjoying playing a games ofchinlone with locals and is known for wearing alongyi.[15] He also has received the traditional Myanmar LethweiHtoe Kwin leg tattoos.[166] The majority of Burmese have accepted Leduc and welcomed the idea of having a non-native as the champion of their national sport.[97] Leduc was given a Burmese name by fans and his known in Myanmar asDaywa (pronounced “day-wa”), which is a play on his name that can mean "protector",” or "angel of death".[10] In 2020, Leduc helped bring the sport for the first time to the United States at the occasion ofDave Leduc vs. Cyrus Washington II.[167][157] The CEO ofONE Championship,Chatri Sityodtong expressed interest in recruiting Leduc for his promotion, referring to him as "head-butting Lethwei 'monster'.[168] Leduc stated that he would compete in ONE under Lethwei rules."I need to stay focused on Lethwei. I like fighting with no gloves and with headbutts: that's my passion".[169]
In 2020, Leduc became the first Lethwei fighter to make the cover ofKaraté Bushido, the oldest magazine dedicated to martial arts in Europe. He followed martial artists such asBruce Lee (1974),Jean-Claude Van Damme (1993),Bas Rutten (1997),Rickson Gracie (1998),Jackie Chan (2000),Fedor Emelianenko (2007),Georges St-Pierre (2008) andJérôme Le Banner (2012) andFrancis Ngannou (2019).[170]
In 2022, Leduc became an ambassador for one of the world's largest online sportsbook1xBet alongsideFC Barcelona andParis Saint-Germain.[171][172] In 2024, Leduc was inducted in the Chelsea Wall of Fame alongside cyclistMichael Woods and runnerRay Zahab, in a permanent display at the Meredith Centre inChelsea, Quebec.[173]
Instructor lineage
Bruce Lee →James DeMile → Jaques Patenaude →Patrick Marcil → Dave Leduc[174][15]
Leduc is married and has two sons named Captain (born 2022) and Askari (born 2024).[175] In 2024, Leduc and his family moved toCambodia.[3] In 2025, he was seen inPhnom Penh being escorted by the elite security unit of theRoyal Cambodian Armed Forces known as theBodyguard Headquarters Unit (BHQ).[176] Leduc is avegan and believes thatVeganism is the basis for the bettering of humans.[177] He went initially vegan after watching The Game Changers and realizing it was ‘possible to thrive as an elite athlete on aPlant-based diet’, but believes being vegan is a philosophy 'not a diet'.[178]
In 2016, Leduc met Moldovan writer and modelIrina Terehova when she traveled to Thailand.[179] The two had never met before, but after writing a story on Leduc, Terehova decided to leave Canada and meet him inPhuket.[180][181] In October 2016, Leduc got engaged to Terehova on theShwesandaw Pagoda inBagan, Myanmar.[180] On December 13, 2016, the couple got married in a nationally televisedtraditional wedding ceremony live onMRTV inYangon,[97] only two days after his world championship title fight.[10][182] The ceremony was watched by approximately 30 million people in Myanmar which catapulted the couple to superstardom in Myanmar.[183][11][30][184] In February 2023, Leduc and his wife renewed their wedding vows inIceland in a ceremony officiated by Icelandic witchSigga Kling. Leduc and his wife woretraditional Icelandic national costumes and the ceremony took place at Álftanesfjara, a sacred beach facingSnæfellsjökull. Despite challenging weather conditions, including ayellow weather warning, the couple proceeded with the ceremony.[185]
In 2017, Leduc and his wife started getting involved with orphan children who are affected withHIV andAIDS at the NLD AIDS Center inMyanmar, bringing food treats, as well as undisclosed donations.[186][187][188] In 2021 and 2025, Leduc campaigned on social media to raise awareness and raised money for people who were victims ofMyanmar military coup and the2025 Myanmar earthquake.[189][190]
In 2018, Leduc posted afan art on social media, showing of a1000-kyats note with a picture of him suggesting that theCentral Bank of Myanmar was issuing asports celebratory note with him on it.[191] The announcement outraged the population inMyanmar because of the sensitive nature of the issue.[192] In the 1990s, themilitary regime tried to eradicate all traces of GeneralAung San's memory, considered the father of modern-day Myanmar and who wasassassinated by political rivals six months before independence on January 4, 1948. After the8888 Uprising, the government redesigned the national currency removing the picture of GeneralAung San, replacing it withChinthe and elephants.[193] Leduc received multiple threats and was severely criticized for posting the picture, before going public and explaining the strategy behind his stunt, stating that his goal was"to revive the debate about bringing back Aung San on the currency". Leduc mentioned to Canadian newspaperLe Droit, that the Myanmar population was very receptive and understood the tactic behind his stunt.[194][195] On 4 January 2020, to mark the 72nd anniversary ofMyanmar's Independence Day, the Central Bank of Myanmar issued a new 1000-kyats notes displaying General Aung San after being absent for 30 years.[196]
On April 28, 2021, Leduc stirred controversy with a profanity-laced social media post saying that Muaythai was "softened version of Burmese Boxing", criticizedMuay Thai fighterBuakaw Banchamek and stating claims surrounding theNai Khanom Tom folklore story were false and that he was simply a prisoner in ancientBurma during theBurmese–Siamese War.[197] The post sparked considerable backlash from the Muaythai and combat sports community. In a letter, theMyanmar Lethwei Federation explained thatMuaythai promoters made a complaint about Leduc. Prominent Thai Muaythai promoterNuttadaj Vachirarattanawong urged the MLF to reprimand Leduc.[198][199] The MLF judged that Leduc had "committed personal attacks" on Buakaw Banchamek and Muaythai history, potentially "tarnishing the relationship between Myanmar and Thailand".[200] The federation issued Leduc a two-year ban on Lethwei competitions under their federation.[201][190][202] Leduc made fun of the Muay Thai folklore figureNai Khanom Tom for being captured byBurmese troops during theBurmese–Siamese War (1765–1767).[203][204][205] In May 2021, theMinistry of Culture of Thailand blacklisted Leduc from entering Thailand.[206][204][207] In May 2023, Leduc accused "Thaispies" ofpoisoning him after eating at a Thai restaurant inTurkey.[208][209][207]
On December 20, 2020, Leduc gave a speech to thousands of Canadians gathered at a peaceful demonstration inLa Fontaine Park inMontreal. He requested a public debate with unsponsored medical experts and asked for governmental transparency in regards of the sanitary measures imposed on the population in response ofCOVID-19 pandemic in Quebec.[210] After his speech, while Leduc was giving an interview, multiple agents of theSPVM police force started to surround him and detained him.[211] Leduc received a fine of 1546CAD$ for not wearing a facial covering outside.[212]
In 2021, Leduc had become a leading activist opposing the health measures surroundingCOVID-19 pandemic in Quebec.[213][214] In May, the government-sponsored mediaRadio-Canada commissioned a documentary to better understand the dissident movement led by Leduc and three other Quebec personalities that rejected the measures imposed by the government.[215] The documentary was a finalist for thePrix Gémeaux.[216] In 2022, Leduc was featured in the study conducted theUNESCO Chairs inQuebec entitled "The conspiracy movement in Quebec: Leaders, discourses and adherence" presented to theQuebec Ministry of Economy and Innovation.[217]
In 2019, before headliningWLC 9, Leduc competed with his wifeIrina Terehova onThe Amazing Race Canada Season 7.[218] The couple made it clear that they weren't on the show for the prize money[219] or to make friends,[220] it was apparently Leduc's desire since teenage to compete on the show.[221] Undoubtedly the most controversial seasons of theCanadian franchise,[222] Dave & Irina became the most notorious villains the franchise has known,[223] while being practically unbeatable for the entire season.[224] The couple outraged a lot of viewers and were deemed"un-Canadian".[225] They fell out of favour of viewers and fellow racers for their cutthroat way of racing,[226] copying an answer at theHorne Lake Caves Provincial Park and stealing cabs inYellowknife, Northwest Territories.[227] The couple later revealed receivingdeath threats when the show aired.[228] They generated a remarkable amount of hate from Canadian viewers for referring to other contestants aspeasants.[229] After arriving first inEdmonton, Alberta, Leduc said"We'll let the peasants fight for last place.", which became the title ofepisode 3.[230]
In the first episode of the season, inKamloops,British Columbia, the couple quickly stood out and became the season's villains after trash-talkingCanada's Choice Jet & Dave.[231] Jet told Leduc about being a firefighter which he replied"That's great because you will be back there next week.", which ended up being true.[232] In the fifth episode, inNanaimo,Vancouver Island, the remaining contestants teamed up and tried send the Quebec couple home, but as Leduc said, it was a "drastic failure."[223] Despite a well-laid plan against the couple and a record number of penalties taken by multiple teams, it was ultimately the Halifax twins who got eliminated.[233] Dave and Irina led the charge out ofThunder Bay toWolfville, Nova Scotia, but faltered at the apple sorting challenge and were eventually the last team to meet hostJon Montgomery at the mat at Luckett Vineyards.[222][234][235]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Prison Fighters: Five Rounds to Freedom | Himself | Prison Fighters atIMDb |
| La Fosse aux Tigres | Biographic role | La Fosse aux Tigres atIMDb | |
| 2018 | Into Dave's Fist | Himself | Canal+ Myanmar documentary |
| 2019 | Denis Lévesque | Denis Lévesque atIMDb | |
| Myanmar Lethwei and Me | Canal+ Myanmar documentary | ||
| Power & Martial Arts : Lethwei | Power & Martial Arts atIMDb | ||
| The Amazing Race Canada | Season 7 atIMDb | ||
| The Joe Rogan Experience | JRE MMA Show #81 atIMDb | ||
| Mike Ward : Sous écoute | Sous écoute atIMDb | ||
| Underground | Mafia boss | Myanmar movie inBurmese[236] | |
| 2020 | Inactive, Americaʼs Silent Killer | Himself | Inactive atIMDb |
| 2021 | Convictions | Himself | Convictions atIMDb |
| 6 wins (6 (T)KOs), 0 losses, 6 draws | ||||||||
| Date | Result | Opponent | Event | Location | Method | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-11-07 | Win |  Cyrus Washington | Dave Leduc vs. Cyrus Washington II | Cheyenne,Wyoming | TKO | 4 | 2:40 | |
| DefendsOpenweight Lethwei Golden Belt & wins Sparta Lethwei Championship | ||||||||
| 2019-08-02 | Win | Seth Baczynski | WLC 9: King of Nine Limbs | Mandalay,Myanmar | KO | 2 | 2:35 | |
| Wins InauguralWLC Cruiserweight World Championship & DefendsOpenweight Lethwei Golden Belt | ||||||||
| 2018-12-16 | Draw | Tun Tun Min | 2018 Air KBZ Grand Final Myanmar Championship | Yangon,Myanmar | Draw | 5 | ||
| 2018-08-19 | Win |  Diesellek TopkingBoxing | 2018 Myanmar Lethwei World Championship | Yangon,Myanmar | KO | 1 | 2:23 | |
| Wins Openweight Myanmar Lethwei World Championship Title & DefendsOpenweight Lethwei Golden Belt | ||||||||
| 2017-12-10 | Draw |  Corentin Jallon | 2017 Air KBZ Aung Lan Championship | Yangon,Myanmar | Draw | 5 | ||
| 2017-08-20 | Draw | Cyrus Washington | 2017 Myanmar Lethwei World Championship | Yangon,Myanmar | Draw | 5 | ||
| 2017-06-16 | Win | Nilmungkorn Sudsakorngym | Lethwei in Japan 4: Frontier | Tokyo,Japan | KO | 2 | 2:23 | |
| WinsILFJ Openweight World Championship | ||||||||
| 2017-04-18 | Draw |  Adem Yilmaz | Lethwei in Japan 3: Grit | Tokyo,Japan | Draw | 5 | ||
| 2017-02-16 | Win | Phoe Kay | Lethwei in Japan 2: Legacy | Tokyo,Japan | KO | 2 | 2:32 | |
| 2016-12-11 | Win | Tun Tun Min | 2016 Air KBZ Aung Lan Championship | Yangon,Myanmar | TKO (Forfeit) | 3 | 2:34 | |
| WinsOpenweight Lethwei Golden Belt &Air KBZ Aung Lan Championship | ||||||||
| 2016-10-09 | Draw | Tun Tun Min | GTG International Challenge Fights | Yangon, Myanmar | Draw | 5 | ||
| 2016-08-21 | Draw | Too Too | 2016 Myanmar Lethwei World Championship | Yangon,Myanmar | Draw | 5 | ||
| Legend: Win Loss Draw/no contest Notes | ||||||||
| 0 wins, 0 loss, 1 draw | ||||||||
| Date | Result | Opponent | Event | Location | Method | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 5, 2023 | Draw |  Prom Samnang | Dave Leduc vs. Prom Samnang | Phnom Penh,Cambodia | Draw (Time Limit) | 1 | 9:00[155] | |
| Myanmar-Cambodia Friendship fight[19] | ||||||||
| Legend: Win Loss Draw/no contest Notes | ||||||||
| 15 wins (13 (T)KOs), 1 loss | ||||||||
| Date | Result | Opponent | Event | Location | Method | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-09-12 | Win | Sakchay Saksoonton | Patong Boxing Stadium | Phuket,Thailand | TKO | 2 | ||
| 2016-06-22 | Win | Pechsila | Bangla Boxing Stadium | Phuket,Thailand | TKO | 3 | ||
| 2016-06-05 | Win |  Farhad Alamdarnezam | Rawai Boxing stadium | Phuket,Thailand | KO | 2 | ||
| 2016-05-14 | Win | Sakchay Saksoonton | Rawai Boxing stadium | Phuket,Thailand | KO | 5 | ||
| 2016-04-25 | Win | Chaiyo Thalangyanyeung | Patong Boxing stadium | Phuket,Thailand | KO | 2 | ||
| 2016-04-02 | Win |  Carlos Prates | Rawai Boxing Stadium | Phuket,Thailand | Decision | 5 | ||
| 2016-03-14 | Win |  Hiden Dragon Muay Thai | Bangla Boxing Stadium | Phuket,Thailand | KO | 2 | ||
| 2016-02-16 | Win | Kwangpet For Vichanchai | Rawai Boxing Stadium | Phuket,Thailand | KO | 3 | ||
| 2016-01-16 | Win | Dennua Aawut | Patong Boxing Btadium | Phuket,Thailand | KO | 2 | ||
| 2014-07-12 | Win | Thahan Chor.Chatchai | Prison Fight | Klongpai Central Prison,Thailand | Decision | 3 | ||
| 2014-06-29 | Win |  Vladislav Markov | Bangla Boxing Stadium | Phuket,Thailand | KO | 1 | ||
| 2014-05-16 | Win |  Anthony Yudtajak | Bangla Boxing Stadium | Phuket,Thailand | KO | 4 | ||
| 2014-03-12 | Loss | Jake Lund | Bangla Boxing Stadium | Phuket,Thailand | Decision | 5 | ||
| 2014-02-26 | Win |  Andres Da Forno | Bangla Boxing Stadium | Phuket, Thailand | TKO | 2 | ||
| 2014-02-17 | Win | Jackrid Sitkrujaroon | Patong Boxing Stadium | Phuket, Thailand | KO | 1 | ||
| 2013-03-29 | Win |  James Lion Muaythai | Bangla Boxing Stadium | Phuket,Thailand | TKO | 2 | ||
| Legend: Win Loss Draw/No contest Notes | ||||||||
| 0 wins (0 (T)KOs), 2 loss | ||||||||
| Date | Result | Opponent | Event | Location | Method | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2, 2015 | Loss |  Koyomi Matsushima | Hybrid Pro Series 3 | Gatineau,Canada | TKO (punches) | 1 | 0:19 | |
| November 15, 2014 | Loss | Jonathan Meunier | Hybrid Pro Series 2 | Gatineau,Canada | TKO (punches) | 1 | 3:36 | |
| Legend: Win Loss Draw/no contest Notes | ||||||||
| 3 wins (0 (T)KOs), 0 loss | ||||||||
| Date | Result | Opponent | Event | Location | Method | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 29, 2013 | Win | Yukinori Akazawa | Fightquest 25 | Kahnawake,Canada | Decision (unanimous) | 3 | 3:00 | |
| June 1, 2013 | Win | Jared Albu | Hybrid 17 | Gatineau,Canada | Submission (guillotine choke) | 3 | 1:05 | |
| February 23, 2013 | Win | Mitch Beekman | Hybrid 16 | Gatineau,Canada | Submission (guillotine choke) | 1 | 2:37 | |
| Legend: Win Loss Draw/no contest Notes | ||||||||
Mr Leduc – a Canadian-Burmese pugilist
Lethwei, Myanmar's national sport, is one of the most brutal striking styles in the world—allowing bare knuckle punches, elbows, kicks, knees and headbutts
Dave Leduc is a superstar celebrity in Myanmar, mobbed wherever he goes by locals
cultural phenomenon in Myanmar
J'ai défendu mon titre à cinq reprises cette année
L'affrontement entre Dave Leduc et Tun Tun Min pourrait être le plus gros de l'histoire de ce sport en Birmanie
សហព័ន្ធ Lethwei អន្តរជាតិ បានចាត់ទុករូបគាត់ថាជាកីឡាករដណ្តើមដំណែងជើងឯក Lethwei អន្តរជាតិដ៏សក្ដិសមមួយរូប សម្រាប់ខែឧសភា ឆ្នាំ 2023។
Since 2016, Lethwei's popularity has skyrocketed due to its most vocal ambassador Dave Leduc, who has been the biggest proponent of the sport worldwide
[...] there's another reason for the increase in popularity. Namely, "the King of Lethwei," Dave Leduc.
his full range and unorthodox elbows
veganism is the beginning, the base of human bettering
gives back to many charities in Myanmar helping children [...] his focus is mostly on the NLD AIDS Center
Cheyenne, Wyoming
The Ministry of Culture previously blacklisted Dave Leduc from entering Thailand
banned from entering Thailand
principaux leaders du mouvement s'opposant aux mesures sanitaires entourant la COVID-19
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Openweight Lethwei World Champion December 11, 2016 - January 29, 2023 Vacated | Succeeded by |
| New championship | WLC Cruiserweight World Champion August 2, 2019 – February 1, 2021 | Vacant WLC defunct due to2021 Myanmar coup d'état |
