User:Okeeffemarc/lonsdalebeltDraft

The Lord Lonsdale Challenge Belt (originally known as the Challenge Belt, commonly known as the Lonsdale belt) is the oldest and longest running boxing championship belt in the UK. It was a boxing prize introduced by Hugh Lowther, 5th Earl of Lonsdale on behalf of the National Sporting Club, to be awarded to British boxing Champions. in 1929 the British Boxing Board of Control took responsibility for awarding this belt. It is still awarded to British champions today.

Origin
Lord Lonsdale was the first president of the National Sporting Club (NSC). In 1909, he introduced the Lonsdale Belt as a new trophy for the British boxing Champion at each weight division. A 9 or 22 carat gold belt comprising two heavy chains with a central enamel medallion depicting a boxing match; flanked by enamel medallions showing single boxers and gilt medallions inscribed with the names of the belt winners on a scroll, interspersed with smaller gilt medallions, depicting the Union Rose. All backed with a red, white and blue ribbon. The belts were made by London jewellers Mappin and Web at their Birmingham workshop. A total of 22 Lonsdale belts were issued by the NSC, and of these 20 were won outright.

The manager of the NSC; Arthur Frederick Bettinson published details about the terms and conditions of holding the belt agreed by the NSC in Sporting Life on 22 December 1909. The main rules were:
 * The holder must defend his title with in 6 months of a challenge.


 * The belt becomes the holder's absolute property after 3 successful bouts, consecutive or otherwise, or is held for 3 consecutive years. They will also receive an NSC pension of £50 a year from the age of 50.

The first recipient of this belt was Freddie Welsh, who defeated Johnny Summers for the NSC British Lightweight title 8 November 1909.
 * The Holder must pay a deposit and insurance for the belt.

The British Boxing Board of Control
The NSC became virtually defunct in the early 1930s and lost control of the sport to the British Boxing Board of Control (B.B.B.of.C), who started to issue the second version, called the Lonsdale belt in 1936. Lonsdale consented to the use of his name and image on the belt in perpetuity, so his face has ever since been on the belt. In 1939 the last nine carat gold belt was launched by the B.B.B.of.C. This was won by the lightweight Eric Boon that year. The last nine carat gold belt won outright was by Henry Cooper in 1959. From 1945 onwards the belts were made of hallmarked silver and the laurel leaf border had the thistle, daffodil and shamrock added to the already present rose, to represent the 4 symbols of the UK. The belt was machine made for a short time in the 1970's before the B.B.B.of.C decided to have it hand made again, passing the contract to Fatorinis, who continue to make the belt's today. The cost of each belt is £14,000.

Changes
In 1987, the B.B.B.of.C decided not to award more than one belt in the same division to any fighter. However, a boxer can win belts outright in different weight classes.

The B.B.B.of.C introduced the Lonsdale Badge in 2013. It is worn by outright winners. This an Excerpt from an article about the badge:

Donations and auctions
The Lonsdale Belt won by Bombardier Billy Wells in 1911 is now kept at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, South East London, and is not on display to the general public. Johnny Brown's Lonsdale Belt was donated to the Museum of London in 2010. In November 2000 the belt awarded to Randy Turpin in 1956 was auctioned for £23,000, while, in September 2011, that won by the welterweight Jack Hood in 1926, fetched £36,000. Hood, who died in 1992, had displayed the latter above the bar at the Bell public house in Tanworth-in-Arden of which he was the licensee.

In 1993, Henry Cooper sold all 3 of his belts for £42,000 after losing heavily on Lloyd's insurance market. The first of the belts was the last one made of gold, this was sold for £22,000. The others sold for £10,000 each. Cooper was expecting £70,000 for the sale, but was content they all were all sold together.

Thefts

 * Don Cockell's Lonsdale belt was stolen from a glass cabinet at his home in 1952, whilst he was out dancing. He did not own the belt.


 * Bobby Vanzie Come home to Bradford after attending a training camp to find his belt had been stolen in 2007.
 * Pat McAteer's belt was stolen from his sons home, Annapolis, Maryland in 2012.
 * Jack Petersen's Lonsdale belt was also stolen from his son's home in Burnham, Buckinghamshire, 2013.

3 time outright winner of Lonsdale Belt

 * (heavyweight) Henry Cooper (1967) - The only man ever to win three Lonsdale belts outright.