World Lethwei Championship Athletes React To Coronavirus Pandemic

Like much of the combat sports world, the World Lethwei Championship is waiting to see what the next step will be.

The promotion has been on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, but that has not completely kept athletes from preparing for action.

WLC held its last event on January 31 from the Thein Pyu Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar. The card streamed live on UFC Fight Pass.

Yan Naing Tun Finding New Ways To Train

Yan Naing Tun competed twice in 2019, earning a decision over Saw Ba Oo and battling Tha Pyay Nyo to a draw.

“Even though I don’t do normal Lethwei training, I do exercises for my fitness. But I do my work as a lab technician at the Ministry of Health and Sports more than ever.”

The welterweight is helping solve the COVID-19 virus by working in a lab swab testing facility with samples of suspected patients.

“Our daily life is harder than ever, but I believe we will survive,” he said. “I am hoping for the day when things are stable and back to normal. I am very excited to go back to the ring.

“That’s why I will try hard to get my best shape. I was supposed to fight in Cambodia for WLC: Khmer Kingdom and I cannot wait to be back at WLC’s first international show.”

Mite Yine Will Be On ‘Cloud Nine’ To Return

At WLC 8: Karen Spirit in 2019 from the Chit Tu Myaing Park in Hpa-an, Kayin State, Mite Yine scored a split decision over Morn Samet in the main event.

“I am training hard as I prepare for the (next) fight,” she said. “But I can’t train with my trainer who is further away so with my teammates, we are sparring to keep fight-shape ready.

“The biggest change for me in daily life is I have more time so I watch a lot of my old fight videos and I can see what the weakness of mine is.”

For Mite Yine, “when I can go back to the ring, I will surely be on cloud nine.”

“I can imagine how happy I will be when that time comes,” she said. “I will have so much energy and motivation to put on a great show for the millions of Lethwei fans around the world.

“I think people will be so excited to watch Lethwei fights after this.”

Soe Lin Oo and Sasha Moisa are staying in-shape by continuing workouts during the coronavirus pandemic.

However, the flexibility and open-schedule have allowed for more opportunities.

“In the past, after training, I have my meal and take a nap every day,” Soe Lin Oo said. “But now, with no upcoming fights, I can spend more time looking after my 1-year-old daughter and the rest of my family.

“That’s why I am now closer to my daughter and it is the biggest change.”

For Moisa, there is a void in his life. He is the reigning WLC light middleweight champion.

“I miss all this show and great fight atmosphere,” he said. “I think it will be a long recovery process from this disease for every country and fights world. I hope that everything will be fine and we will handle it together.

“I want to represent World Lethweith Championship as it’s light middleweight champion again.”