how mcuh is the lonsdale belt really worth???

scurlaruntings · Post by **scurlaruntings** » 01 Mar 2004, 20:42

its like hot coals at 26 with ruther ford mckeever and dazzo playing past the parcel..williams n sprott fought for it only for sprott to be delared the winner??? how long will he keep this ?PRESTIGIOUS? belt.

id go so far as to say the lonsdale now only has historical value.it has been tarnished by protective n greedy promoters n the infulx of useless baubles n sanctioning organizations.

Matchfixer · Post by **Matchfixer** » 01 Mar 2004, 21:06

n is there n e thing else you wanna add 2 dat list?

Lickszz · Post by **Lickszz** » 01 Mar 2004, 21:07

Winning the Lonsdale outright would mean more to me than the WBU/IBO titles belts.

Southpaw Stylist · Post by **Southpaw Stylist** » 01 Mar 2004, 21:52

Me too.

dondada · Post by **dondada** » 02 Mar 2004, 05:50

Ironically, I believe the Lonsdale belt is more important than ever. History and tradition are important and as long as boxing is around, the Lonsdale belt should be too. I think it still has an aura about it and I totally agree with the lads who put it above the spurious 'world' belts.

I have a lot of respect for those who still try and go the Lonsdale, EBU, proper world title route.

BBBC should ensure the prestige of the belt is retained by having strict rules on who can challenge for it.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 02 Mar 2004, 06:03

As Audley rightly said recently, belt's don't make fighters, fighters make belts.

The problem is that as more and more prospects leapfrog the British title and go for spurious WBF,WBU,IBO etc belts, then the level of competition at British ltitle evel declines in proportion.

The British title used to be a lot more prestigious, because the level of competition was higher, British title fights between people like Cooper and Bugner

I agree that if more fighters went the British, EBU, World title route, boxing would be better in this country.

However, fighters can earn far more money by parading themselves as a 'world' champion and selling their fights on sky, than they can trying to convince the sporting public that their British title is prestigious.

Many fighters know deep down I think, that they are not good enough to be a genuine dominant champion, which is why organisations like the WBO and chums have proliferated, there is a need filled for TV companies to sell bouts as world titles, and for fighters to make more money appearing on those TV shows.

Like it or not, we are all hard-core fans of the sport, and our perspective is therefore not indicative of the wider perception of boxing.

The Londsdale belt is genuine class, but if more and more fighters continue to abandon the British title as a staging post to the title, then it will continue to decline in significance, it's a sad fact of life, but I fail to see how we can prevent it happening.

scurlaruntings · Post by **scurlaruntings** » 02 Mar 2004, 06:14

Matchfixer wrote:n is there n e thing else you wanna add 2 dat list?

like what?? or r u being faceatious?

E · Post by E » 02 Mar 2004, 08:46

A little bit of a red herring this, bot the actual belt's worth about 5 grand I hear...

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 02 Mar 2004, 09:11

E wrote:A little bit of a red herring this, bot the actual belt's worth about 5 grand I hear...

Most belts are worth about £150 I believe (the plastic ones). Lonsdale Belts are made of porcelain and gold and five grand sounds right. I thought it was a sad day when the Board stopped a fighter winning more than one Lonsdale Belt outright at a weight. Henry Cooper's three belts at heavyweight will thus never be challenged. Billy Hardy and Clinton McKenzie would have won two I believe under the old rules.

Kieran · Post by **Kieran** » 02 Mar 2004, 09:17

Well you all know my relationship with Ryan Rhodes.
His Lonsdale belt feat will be in the record books forevermore.
Compared to the other Intercontinental belts he holds - no contest.
A prestigious title, with a prestigious belt.
Call me a traditionalist, but this belt compared to being a so called WBU World Title holder - no contest.
Whilst on the subject, does anyone know who produces the Lonsdale Belt these days ?

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 02 Mar 2004, 09:19

Kieran wrote:Well you all know my relationship with Ryan Rhodes.
His Lonsdale belt feat will be in the record books forevermore.
Compared to the other Intercontinental belts he holds - no contest.
A prestigious title, with a prestigious belt.
Call me a traditionalist, but this belt compared to being a so called WBU World Title holder - no contest.
Whilst on the subject, does anyone know who produces the Lonsdale Belt these days ?

Do you know how many days it took Ryan to win his belt outright, Kieran?

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 02 Mar 2004, 09:36

Actually Bennie world title belts generally are very expensive, I know someone who is an agent for the WBC and got some quotes for belts from him. A replica WBC belt is about $3000 or so if I remember correctly.

Although the belts are not as valuable as they were when they were studded with precious metals, they are still bloody expensive as far as I can see.

However, the WBU and WBF belts probably aren't worth anything like that....

The Londsdale belt is not quite as valuable as it once was, as it is no longer 22 carat gold , which was phased out quite some time ago, I was reading about it on the BBC website.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 02 Mar 2004, 09:44

jamesmcdonnell wrote:Actually Bennie world title belts generally are very expensive, I know someone who is an agent for the WBC and got some quotes for belts from him. A replica WBC belt is about $3000 or so if I remember correctly.

Although the belts are not as valuable as they were when they were studded with precious metals, they are still bloody expensive as far as I can see.

However, the WBU and WBF belts probably aren't worth anything like that....

The Londsdale belt is not quite as valuable as it once was, as it is no longer 22 carat gold , which was phased out quite some time ago, I was reading about it on the BBC website.

Yes, but is that $3000 for the cost of making the belt, or because of the name, WBC?

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 02 Mar 2004, 09:52

I don't know, I can certainly find out though...

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 02 Mar 2004, 09:56

jamesmcdonnell wrote:I don't know, I can certainly find out though...

It would be interesting to know, mate. I seem to recall the plastic green WBC belts as being really cheap, but the memory plays tricks.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 02 Mar 2004, 10:45

Perhaps those were cheap plastic toy replicas or something, I know that the real thing has precious metals and the green bit is thick cowhide leather with some other sort of leather thrown in.

Those WBC rings that long running champs get are also real diamond set in gold and platinum, and are 900 quid a pop, so the belt is likely to be a lot more expensive.

Kieran · Post by **Kieran** » 02 Mar 2004, 12:29

Bennie,
Yes I do.
91 days in total.
Won on 14-12-96 and second successful defence 14-03-97.
Can't be beaten - because the rules have been changed, and you now have to defend three times.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 02 Mar 2004, 12:49

Kieran wrote:Bennie,
Yes I do.
91 days in total.
Won on 14-12-96 and second successful defence 14-03-97.
Can't be beaten - because the rules have been changed, and you now have to defend three times.

Thank you, Kieran. That really is a record. Just 91 days!
I seem to recall the previous incumbent was Colin McMillan.

dondada · Post by **dondada** » 02 Mar 2004, 13:32

I think that the Lonsdale Belt can retain its prestige, despite the awful proliferation of dubious belts, if you only get a shot at it if deserved.

We all despise the Alphabet Boys for numerous reasons but one of the top must be that undeserving challengers for 'world' titles are a regular event.

If the BBBC can set high standards, hopefully the Belt will retain its prestige. I think its a myth that many fighters would prefer to sport a third class 'world' belt that the British title. I'd say most pros still hold the belt in high regard. Though I do acknowledge that it may not be as lucrative as having a bogus belt.

Or am I just John Bull who won't lie down and die? BRITAIN!

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 02 Mar 2004, 13:40

Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:I think that the Lonsdale Belt can retain its prestige, despite the awful proliferation of dubious belts, if you only get a shot at it if deserved.

We all despise the Alphabet Boys for numerous reasons but one of the top must be that undeserving challengers for 'world' titles are a regular event.

If the BBBC can set high standards, hopefully the Belt will retain its prestige. I think its a myth that many fighters would prefer to sport a third class 'world' belt that the British title. I'd say most pros still hold the belt in high regard. Though I do acknowledge that it may not be as lucrative as having a bogus belt.

Or am I just John Bull who won't lie down and die? BRITAIN!

No, you are spot on. Every big British fighter wants to have a Lonsdale Belt for keeps as well as a world title. I know Barry McGuigan regrets not having a Lonsdale Belt of his own for instance.
Canny Jim Watt made sure he won one.