The Untold History of Championship Belts

Just when was the first ever made belt given out? It’s a question every sports fanatic would venture in. Well Tom Cribb, born in 1781 wick, Hanham in Bristol was an English bare-knuckle boxer of the 19th century. The guy was so successful that he became world champion.

On 10 December 1810 he fought an American in a 35 round match, former slave Tom Molineaux, at Shenington Hollow in Oxfordshire. And that’s when he became a world champion.

And he was awarded a belt, which was the first ever, as a prize for accomplishments by King George III himself. Other successful sportsmen who won belts include a golfer Thomas Morris in 1872 and Donald Dinnie an athlete etc.

Which Sports have Championship Belts as trophies? Boxing

Boxing organizations such as the World Boxing Council, the World Boxing Association, the International Boxing Federation, and the World Boxing Organization have unique championship belts that are awarded to the champions of each weight class. Boxers contest for the belt of all 4 organizations to unify their weight divisions. The Ring also created a championship system that is "intended to reward fighters who, by satisfying rigid criteria, can justify a claim as the true and only world champion in a given weight class."

Champions keep these belts even upon losing their title, with a new belt made when a new champion is crowned.

Wrestling

Professional wrestling is a form of sport and entertainment which has athletics and theatrical performance. Many storylines center on the promotion's championships, which are represented by championship belts similar to those in boxing. The top title in a major promotion is usually designated a "world heavyweight championship".

Other, lesser championships may carry regional names, be limited to a specific weight class, or be defended in other special circumstances, such as the traditional tag team match.

Typically, pro wrestling title belts have a unique design for each title.

Mixed martial arts

Mixed martial arts and boxing have similar characteristic as to model. They award the champions in each weight class with a championship belt. Even the design of each belts at every stage are the same. The champion keeps their belt after losing the title.

Motorsports