'The' Heavyweight Championship Belt

[keithmoonhangover]

I'll never forget watching Ali say that he had the same heavyweight belt that belonged to Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano etc. Does anyone have any idea where that belt is?

[dempseyfire]

I'll never forget watching Ali say that he had the same heavyweight belt that belonged to Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano etc. Does anyone have any idea where that belt is?

He meant in theory/lineage, not the actual belt.

[keithmoonhangover]

I'll never forget watching Ali say that he had the same heavyweight belt that belonged to Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano etc. Does anyone have any idea where that belt is?

He meant in theory/lineage, not the actual belt.

No, there was a belt and I've seen a pic of it in a glass case.

[Goodnight, Irene]

There was no such belt from Johnson through to Ali's day.

[keithmoonhangover]

There was no such belt from Johnson through to Ali's day.

I can't find the video clip, so I'm not sure if he said Johnson, but he did say Tunney.

[Goodnight, Irene]

There was no such belt from Johnson through to Ali's day.

I can't find the video clip, so I'm not sure if he said Johnson, but he did say Tunney.

Tunney is possible. The WBA was (I think?) formed during Dempsey's title reign, so a belt could have travelled from Tunney's tenure through to Ali's.

[crusader]

Today someone keeps their belt upon losing champion status, while another belt is created for the new champion (meaning that no one possesses a belt once held by another person). Is this a recent practice?

[keithmoonhangover]

There was no such belt from Johnson through to Ali's day.

I can't find the video clip, so I'm not sure if he said Johnson, but he did say Tunney.

Tunney is possible. The WBA was (I think?) formed during Dempsey's title reign, so a belt could have travelled from Tunney's tenure through to Ali's.

It was the NBA title back in Tunney's day. I'm convinced that Ali had that belt and I'm convinced I've seen a pic of it in a glass case.

[keithmoonhangover]

I'll never forget watching Ali say that he had the same heavyweight belt that belonged to Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano etc. Does anyone have any idea where that belt is?

He meant in theory/lineage, not the actual belt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DCTNgrU548 4:28

"I have the belt in my living room" - Ali

[keithmoonhangover]

I'll never forget watching Ali say that he had the same heavyweight belt that belonged to Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano etc. Does anyone have any idea where that belt is?

He meant in theory/lineage, not the actual belt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DCTNgrU548 4:28

"I have the belt in my living room" - Ali

[raylawpc]

I'll never forget watching Ali say that he had the same heavyweight belt that belonged to Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano etc. Does anyone have any idea where that belt is?

In Ali's imagination . . .

[Jaclem]

......each champion got a new belt from fleischer on winning the title.

when many people thought jersey joe walcott should have got the decision over louis in their first fight police gazette magazine
(actually a tabloid) with a long history of covering boxing gave jersey joe their own championship belt. nat scoffed at it--said his was much prettier.

[klompton]

Ali did not have the same belt. Thats hilarious. He says he had the belt in his living room that John L. had. Horsehockey. John L. Sullivans belt was famously lost for years (and may still be for all I know). Ali never let the truth get in the way of his ego.

[Giancarlo]

There was no such belt from Johnson through to Ali's day.

I can't find the video clip, so I'm not sure if he said Johnson, but he did say Tunney.

Tunney is possible. The WBA was (I think?) formed during Dempsey's title reign, so a belt could have travelled from Tunney's tenure through to Ali's.

[Goodnight, Irene]

I can't find the video clip, so I'm not sure if he said Johnson, but he did say Tunney.

Tunney is possible. The WBA was (I think?) formed during Dempsey's title reign, so a belt could have travelled from Tunney's tenure through to Ali's.

I just checked on this. The WBA started in 1921, under the name NBA.

[klompton]

I can't find the video clip, so I'm not sure if he said Johnson, but he did say Tunney.

Tunney is possible. The WBA was (I think?) formed during Dempsey's title reign, so a belt could have travelled from Tunney's tenure through to Ali's.

Why are you laughing. Hes actually right.

[Goodnight, Irene]

This should be good...

[orbtastic]

When I asked this question about ten years ago the site owner told me there was no such belt etc.

[SolomonDeedes]

In his autobiography Ali says that during his exile he left the belt with Bundini for safekeeping. Bundini duly tried to pawn it but was told that the gold and diamonds were fake.

Obviously you can't take a story from an autobiography as gospel, but if it's true it implies that Ali was awarded a replica belt which he assumed was the real thing.

The original belt was genuinely valuable and Sullivan's personal property, so there's no reason he'd have chosen to pass it on to Corbett when he lost the title. More likely he ended up selling it for booze money.

[Thunder and Lightning]

Doesn't every champion keep his belt even after he losses the title?
There are pictures of Ingemar Johansson showing his belt long after he was champion and that was before Ali so why should Ali's belt be "the" belt.

[Jaclem]

.....buzzy

[Giancarlo]

Tunney is possible. The WBA was (I think?) formed during Dempsey's title reign, so a belt could have travelled from Tunney's tenure through to Ali's.

Why are you laughing. Hes actually right.

Klompy, so the Dempsey - Carpentier fight was for the WBA title?

Maybe you and Irene should PM the record keepers here and let them know that they need to update the records to show that Dempsey was DEFENDING HIS WBA TITLE.

If not, shut the fook up, and get back to writing your fantasy book about Greb.

[Giancarlo]

This should be good...

Don't PM me, Irene, PM the record keepers here and inform them that the Dempey - Tunney bouts should be shown as WBA title bouts.

After all, according to you and the other simpleton Klompy, it was formed in 1921!

The internet has a lot to answer for. A fekwad like you posing as a boxing expert and a fekwad like him and his fantasy book about Greb.

Hahahahahahaha. 1921! You bloody eejit.

[Giancarlo]

Tunney is possible. The WBA was (I think?) formed during Dempsey's title reign, so a belt could have travelled from Tunney's tenure through to Ali's.

I just checked on this. The WBA started in 1921, under the name NBA.

You wouldn't know how to check if you'd wiped your arse, boy.

Does "checking" mean you swallowed what you read on a wikipedia article?

[Goodnight, Irene]

Wow, Collie. I figured you were dense enough I could manipulate you into posting in here again, but I had barely cast the line before you bit

I cant wait to watch you try to squirm your way out of this one, Darling. You are unflinchingly wrong, of course, but Im sure I wont be the only one to enjoy watching you explain what you, "meant"