Tun Tun Min

Over the course of his career Tun Tun Min has been discriminated against because of his Muslim background. Fans often let their voice be heard during his matches with foreign competition, shouting racist remarks and outing their discriminating opinion in interviews. In 2017 a calendar listing current and former champions in various categories, omitted Tun Tun Min's name, title and likeness in the champions category. This prompted media to accuse the Myanmar Traditional Boxing Federation, who had commissioned the calendar, of discrimination. Tun Tun Min admitted considering leaving the sport, but the fact that he might be able to win his open-weight title back changed his mind.

In 2017 Tun Tun Min signed an exclusive 6-fight contract with World Lethwei Championship. For his promotional debut WLC 1: The Great Beginning, he faced British kickboxer Nicholas Carter. He finished the fight in round 1 by reaching maximum knockdowns and did not use his kicks. He would eventually miss out on his remaining fights because of his injury.

In November 2017 Tun Tun Min made public that his knee was recovered and that with sufficient training he would be returning to the ring in January. Shortly after the announcement that he would be fighting Thiago Goularte from Brazil on January 14, the fight and the event was canceled. The knee was still bothering him 9 months into his recovery. It would once again be quiet around Tun Tun Min who, in the meantime, started coaching and training at Fit & Fight Fitness & Lethwei, a newly opened facility in Yangon that partly carries his name.

On December 11, 2016, the much anticipated rematch of Tun Tun Min and Dave Leduc took place at the 3rd Air KBZ Aung Lan Golden Belt Championship in Yangon, Myanmar. The two previously fought in October to a draw. Confident in his ability to draw with his latest rival, Tun Tun Min accepted to put his open-weight title on the line. In round three, Leduc caught Tun Tun Min's left high-kick, causing him to go off-balance and twisted his knee. After taking his time-out, Dave targeted the leg forcing a second count. After another throw, Tun Tun Min eventually forfieted and lost for only the second time in his professionnal career.

Tun Tun Min participated at the first Lethwei organized by the ILFJ. He faced Australian Adem Yilmaz at Lethwei Grand Prix Japan 2016 and knockout him out at the end of the 5th round.

In similar fashion to how the bout at Ganryujima came about in 2016, Daryl Lokuku who was set to face Dave Leduc initially, was now scheduled last minute to face Tun Tun Min on August 19 at the third Myanmar Lethwei World Championship in Yangon. Even though Tun Tun Min was able to knock down Daryl with a headbutt near the very end of an intense 5-round fight, it once again ended in a draw. With three months of training ahead, everything would now be set for Tun Tun Min to face Dave Leduc at the Air KBZ Grand Final Myanmar Championship in Yangon.

The rematch took place 4 months later on April 11, 2015 at Thuwunna National Indoor Stadium in Yangon. Cyrus was once again able to knock out Tun Tun Min with a spinning technique. Unlike in their first fight Tun Tun Min was able to recover during his timeout and eventually knock Cyrus down in the 5th round prompting the corner to throw in the towel. Cyrus later explained that there was some confusion about the rules. He tried to call for a timeout, but according to the official rules you cannot use one in the last round. The confusion and miscommunication resulted in the towel being thrown.

On September 21, 2014, Tun Tun Min became Openweight Lethwei World champion by defeating Saw Nga Man, a friend with whom he trained together for the SEA Games and someone he has looked up to for the majority of his professional career. At the age of 21, Tun Tun Min became the youngest fighter in history to win a Lethwei Golden belt. At that time 33 year old Saw Nga Man, nicknamed Saw Shark, had been a dominant openweight champion for five years and people started to question his durability while continually facing up-and-coming younger fighters. These doubts where answered on that fateful evening when Myanmar crowned its latest champion.

Their first meeting was on December 7, 2014 at the inaugural Air KBZ sponsored Aung Lan Championship, currently an event where winners in each weight-class receive a belt and a triangular champions flag. In a stunning upset Cyrus knocked out Tun Tun Min in round three in spectacular fashion. Even after using his time-out Tun Tun Min could no longer continue. Because the bout was considered an exhibition match the open-weight title was not at stake, nor would it be during any of their fights.

He took part in Muay Thai competitions at the 2012 Asian Muay Championships, 2013 Southeast Asian Games and 2013 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.

Under the guidance of his new teachers, Tun Tun Min started his professional career fighting for prize money in Lethwei fights in pagodas and other religious festivals. He quickly became a rising star because of his aggressive style and more opportunities came around. He faced another rising star in Too Too to a draw. Three days after, Tun Tun Min was offered a fight for 6 Lakh or 600 000 Burmese kyats against Soe Lin Oo, a 2010 Golden Belt champion and already an established name at the time. Because his father insisted, the match was signed and ultimately fought to a draw. At the time, Tun Tun Min described Soe Lin Oo as the toughest opponent he had ever faced. Quickly rising through the ranks, from that moment on his career would see many more celebrated victories. Tun Tun Min faced many fighters from neighbouring Thailand and due to his larger size, he faced many foreign opponents. eventually leading up to his shot at becoming the champion.

Cyrus Washington had his introduction to Lethwei back in 2010 when he faced Saw Nga Man, who was the champion at the time, long before Tun Tun Min's name would even start to appear in newspapers. Because Cyrus was already an accomplished Muay Thai fighter it took 4 years before Tun Tun Min was eligible to fight him. The opportunity presented itself a few months before their first fight where Tun Tun Min had beaten Saw Nga Man for the open-weight title.

In 6th grade Tun Tun Min decided to drop out of school to focus exclusively on his boxing career in order to support his family. For a short period of time, from 2007 until 2009, he also worked at a pineapple plantation in Thailand to earn more income. His boss at the time dared him to fight some Muay Thai boys in the village. Although he did beat them, his boss unfortunately denied him to further pursue this venture. Upon his return home, Tun Tun Min joined the Mudontha Lethwei Club, founded in 2008 by Saya U Ye Thway, U Thamain Thawdar and Tun Tun Min's father.

Tun Tun Min (Burmese: ထွန်းထွန်းမင်း ; born 4 October 1992) is a Burmese Lethwei fighter and former Openweight Lethwei World Champion. He is the youngest fighter to ever win the Lethwei Golden Belt, obtaining the title at age 21. He is also notable for fighting foreign competition from outside Myanmar.