Currently, 4 main boxing belts are recognized as professional athletes in the following versions: IBF, WBA, WBO and WBC. A boxer who owns three belts receives the title of absolute world champion. Such an athlete will definitely go down in the history of world boxing.
History
Championship titles are the highest reward for any boxer. To win the champion’s boxing belt, all fighters dream without exception. But few people know exactly how the tradition of presenting this award appeared.
In the mid-19th century, a heavyweight boxing match was held in English London. After defeating the opponent, the fans presented the winner Benjamin County with a red velvet belt, which was decorated with silver. So there was a tradition of handing boxing belts to champions.
Handing the belt to the champion is an important part of professional boxing. There are a huge number of boxing belts, and any federation can hold a champion fight. But many belts do not have much weight and are not appreciated by athletes at all.
Any fan knows that at the moment there are only four main boxing belts in importance. In organizations presenting the main championship belts, athletes receive large fees for fights. For example, Floyd Mayweather received over $ 100 million for his best fights.
The main belts are established by large organizations and are awarded for fulfilling certain conditions. Although these associations perform similar functions, their traditions are significantly different. Each of these federations has its own belt, which differs from others in appearance.
Wba
The World Boxing Association was formed in 1921. According to the rules of this organization, a boxer who combined the title of the WBA champion and one of the main associations receives the title of "Super Champion". A boxer with this title has the right to protect the belt in a fight with an applicant from other organizations. After such a fight, the main title becomes free. Its owner is determined in the battle of applicants.
There is a practice of separation of titles in WBA. In each weight category there are:
- “Super Champion” - must defend the title with the applicant from any organization, which does not have to be the owner of the title in one of the main versions.
- "Regular Champion" - must defend the belt in battle against the applicant selected by the association.
- “Temporary Champion" - the first number of the rating of the association, is not a mandatory applicant for the main belt, but has its own title. This system is also used in other boxing organizations.
A WBA belt is considered more valuable than other belts. This association was formed earlier than others, its title is more important in seniority. But many managers and athletes find the methods of resolving many issues an association wrong.
The WBA belt is made of leather. In its center is a medal of gilding, which is decorated with a crown and precious stones. Inside the medal is an engraving with the logo of the organization and two figures of boxers. On the sides are smaller medals made of polished brass. The championship belt weighs 3.6 kg.
Over the history of this belt, its appearance has changed several times. A boxer who has won a belt can keep it for himself by paying a symbolic price. The greatest boxers held this award in their hands: Mohammed Ali, Mike Tyson, Lenox Lewis and others.
Wbc
The World Boxing Council was formed in Mexico City in 1963 as an international association. The main goal of the WBC was to create an association that would provide control of world boxing. In 1983, the council made an important decision - to reduce the number of rounds in a boxing match to 12. This was done to ensure the safety of athletes.
The flags of the 161st state are located on the WBC belt. The 12 founding countries of the association are depicted in the center of a circle of gold. For a long time, the relations of the WBC with the rest of the associations were difficult, but now the situation is improving, and many experts talk about the possible merger of several organizations. During its existence, the WBC belt has undergone several modifications.
Wbo
The World Boxing Organization was formed in San Juan in 1988. Some media still do not recognize the UBO and do not consider its boxers champions. WBO was created as one of the WBA divisions to control the rules and resolve issues with the organization of fights. Initially, this union did not have a special status, but now the WBO title is quite popular.
On the brown belt is a medal gilded with 24 carat gold. The mass of the belt is 3.6 kg.
IBF
The International Boxing Federation was formed in 1976 as the Boxing Association of the United States (BASS). In 1983, an international division (BASH-M) was created in the federation. A year later, BASSh-M was renamed the ICF. The IBF's reputation was severely damaged in 1999 when its head was accused of corruption.
The IBF belt is made of red leather. At its center is a tin with gilding medal, decorated with an image of an eagle. The belt weighs 4.1 kg.
The ring
Ring Magazine regularly publishes a ranking of the best boxers in various weight categories. If the first and second number of the rating are encountered in one of the fights, the magazine gives the winner his boxing belt. A photo of the champion appears in the next issue of the magazine. The title according to The Ring magazine has been awarded since 1922. There are several ways to get the title in this version: to defeat the champion, to combine the titles WBA, WBC and IBF, or to win in a fight that is held between the first and second numbers of the Ring rating. Only in the following cases can a champion lose his title: by losing the battle for the champion title, moving to the next weight category or ending his career. After the change of ownership of the magazine, the prestige of the Ring rating has fallen significantly.