A measurement of success for many fighters, from amateurs to professionals, is winning a championship belt. As much as money or fame, being awarded a title belt is synonymous with the achievement of many boxers’ lifelong goals.
Of course, there are many variations of what a championship belt represents, since they are awarded at everything from local amateur boxing events to national tournaments, and even at world title fights, each signifies a different level of success. In amateur boxing a championship belt can be awarded to a fighter who beats his opponent in a single match-up or in a progressive tournament, where he or she must beat several fighters in their weight class throughout several days of competition. In the professional ranks, fighters aren’t typically given a championship belt as the result of winning one bout. When a legitimate championship belt is being awarded, professional fighters must work their way through numerous competitors, fighting the best in their division, to win a belt from a reputable sanctioning body. Those sanctioning bodies would include organizations like the World Boxing Council, the World Boxing Organization, the World Boxing Association, the International Boxing Federation, and other well established boxing sanctioning bodies.
The concept and tradition of championship belts came about from the practice of boxers wearing a belt or sash around their waist featuring their sponsors' colors. When either fighter won, his opponent would hand over his sash to symbolize being conquered or defeated.
One of the first documented “official” Championship Belts was awarded in the early 1800’s to Tom Cribb, when he defeated Jem Belcher in a bareknuckle bout.
Since then, they have become a common fixture in modern-day boxing, with solid metal construction, oftentimes decorated with ornate jewels, intricate designs, and include a plush wool backing.
From their origin until now, a championship belt symbolizes the countless hours of hard work, preparation, and sacrifice that every champion endures to achieve the ultimate recognition you can get inside the boxing ring.
FAQs
Sorry, we no longer handle customizations, but our belts all come with side plates and front plates that are customizable. You would need to source that on your end.
Reach out to info@titleboxing.com or apply to become a wholesale customer here if you are not already.
We do have some belts that are leather and some that are synthetic. We recommend reviewing our belts page and looking at the details and descriptions for belts you are interested in to find out what it is made of.
