Thway Thit Win Hlaing

Thway Thit Win Hlaing rose to prominence in 2014.[10][11] In 2017, he was part of the ONE Championship roster for a single match. The un-televised lethwei bout was held under the ruleset of the newly formed partnership with WLC[12]

In 2017, ONE Championship began talks of a partnership with World Lethwei Championship to share athletes to fight in each other's organization.[13] On 30 June 2017, Thway Thit Win Hlaing fought in the second Lethwei match ever held by ONE Championship at ONE: Light of a Nation and he defeated Soe Htet Oo by decision according to the WLC point system, where a winner must be chosen by judges decision if the fight goes the distance.[14] Thway Thit Win Hlaing was one of the most successful fighters of the World Lethwei Championship.[15]

On Armed Forced Day in 2018, an event was held in Maungdaw, Rakhine State. A local wealthy entrepreneur invested in hosting the event, which was green-lit by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. The military has a long history of supporting Myanmar's traditional fighting arts.[16][3] It was seen as a move by the military and pro-ethnic Rakhine that peace had returned and to avert attention from the Rohingya crisis. Win Hlaing was featured in the main event against Saw Ba Oo.[17]

The fight between Win Hlaing and Reza at Win Sein in 2020 was almost called off as Thway Thit Win Hlaing was not feeling well. Before the fight they repeatedly checked his hydration levels to make sure he could compete. The fight ended up in his favour when he knocked Reza out in round 2.[18]

The eagerly awaited fight between Thway Thit Win Hlaing and Lethwei star Soe Lin Oo, whom he had never fought before, finally took place in 2022. However, it was reduced to only three rounds as a result of the aftermath of the 2021 coup d'etat.[19]

On January 29, 2023, Thway Thit Win Hlaing faced former openweight Lethwei World Champion, Tun Tun Min at The Great Lethwei 3' in Yangon, Myanmar. Tun Tun Min, who weighs over 80 kg and fights most of his matches in the openweight category agreed to meet at the catchweight of 77 kg.[20] The incumbent Myanmar Lethwei Champion Dave Leduc openweight Lethwei World Championship sanctioned by the MTLF prior to the match and Thway Thit Win Hlaing and Tun Tun Min competed for the vacant title.[21] In the event where the champion vacates the title, the two top contenders are required to fight to fight for the belt. In these case of the Lethwei Golden Belt, 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.[22] In the fourth round, Thway Thit Win Hlaing dominated and managed to knocked down Tun Tun Min to the floor twice and the referee had to count twice. Thway Thit Win Hlaing was declared the winner by decision and became openweight Myanmar Lethwei champion.[23][24][25][26]

On August 20, 2023, Thway Thit Win Hlaing is rematched Tun Tun Min under Traditional rules with the Openweight Lethwei World Champion was on the line. The match ended as a draw with Thway Thit Win Hlaing remaining champion.

Win Hlaing is the son of U Saw Win Shwe and Daw Nan Cho Cho Lay. His brother, Than Hlaing, had a brief career in boxing.[2] Win Hlaing got married in Hpa-an on February 26, 2020, and has expressed his desire to have children.[27]

• Lethwei World Champion
  • Openweight Lethwei Golden Belt
    • Tree successful title defenses

Other hampionships

• • 2018 Golden Belt Championship (71 kg)
  • 2016 Golden Belt Championship (67 kg)

Awards, records, and honours

• • 2019 Breakthrough fighter of the year[28]
  • World Lethwei Championship #2 Ranked Light Middleweight