Why does the British title seem to be worth more then the Commonwealth

Discussion in 'British Boxing Forum' started by Del Boy, Jul 29, 2011.


  1. badlefthook84

    badlefthook84 Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Coomonwealth belt looks like something they would make on Cbeebies.
     
  2. TBooze

    TBooze Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    They need to bring back the Trophy, it was something different. I always remember Nigel Benn marching round the ring with it, after flattening another dodgy African.

    It was always that bit more important 20 years ago or so, when the Canadians and Aussies actually had the quantity of quality fighters to compete with Blighty. Add the occasional Azumah Nelson to show not all them Africans were suspect, and being a Commonwealth Champion really did mean something.
     
  3. roe

    roe Guest

    The Commonwealth belt is rubbish. Simple.
     
  4. badlefthook84

    badlefthook84 Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Has definetley lost a lot of prestige. Lewis-Ruddock for the commonwealth strap and both were at world level at the time. Its just probably harder for promoters to put on good fights for the commonwealth these days as the purses wouldn't be great for it so they can bring africans over and pay them pittance. Barker-Geale would of been a great fight for the commonwealth strap a few years back.
     
  5. Mandanda

    Mandanda SkillspayBills Full Member

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    It's the fighter(s) that make the title. There's been some fantastic Commonwealth title fights even of late but then you get such rubbish. The problem is our Promoters exploit the African option which is quite simple. Log onto Boxrec *got to ratings, select nation (pref: Ghana/Nambia) then weight and then have a lucky dip out of the say 20 fighters that country has*

    Liam Walsh could be in for it, if Frank and Dean Pull out 9-0-1 ''Money Mosquito'' Emmanuel Addo! from Accra Ghana!!
     
  6. lefthook82

    lefthook82 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Does anyone remember Abdul Kadou. He was some '38' year old undersized, overweight Ugandan fighter who 'fought' Hobson for the Commonwealth title in 2003

    Fighters like him, that subsistence farmer that Bellew beat up, and countless others is the reason why British title is worth more, plus its the best looking belt in all of boxing, and the potential to 'keep' it is also ion its favour
     
  7. nickythekid

    nickythekid Active Member Full Member

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    Lonsdales Belt by John Harding is an excellent book on the subject. The belt was introduced in 1909 by the National Sporting Club as an award to their champions in each of the 8 weight casses. The belt took the name of the clubs patron 'The Earl Of Lonsdale'. From the 30's it was given by the BBBoC. I think they use to be made of real gold originally if I remember rightly!! The past list of winners is a whos who of boxing. There are some great stories in the book. The belt has a fascinating history.
     
  8. davidjay

    davidjay Well-Known Member Full Member

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    "Sometimes fighters records aren't complete Jim."
     
  9. atberry

    atberry Boxing Junkie banned Full Member

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    I knew you were. I just wanted to get Eubank in a post somehow.
     
  10. TFFP

    TFFP The Eskimo

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    Because all you do is fight Afrobums. Most of the countries in the commonwealth are nowhere to be seen, its basically a diluted British title with Afrobums thrown in. Thats why its weak unfortunately, if it was administered properly it would be okay.
     
  11. HitmanHatton

    HitmanHatton Boxing Addict Full Member

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    The reason is people wet themselves with nostalgia when talking about the British title!!
     
  12. Joe.Boxer

    Joe.Boxer Chinchecker Full Member

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    Re-watching the hbo broadcast of Lewis-Ruddock posted the other day, I noticed Lewis holding up a big silver plate in the ring. I assumed that was it.
     
  13. miguel2010

    miguel2010 His hands are his weapons Full Member

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    yeah the commonwealth one is a cheap and nasty looking belt but the lonsdale just has the bigger feel of history and achievement to all us brits anyway, but even though you have the lonsdale you want the commonweath one alongside it imo, just cos if you have both you know you are going in the right direction.

    bit of info on the lonsdale belt....

    The holders of the first Lonsdale belts were:-
    Flyweight — Sid Smith, 1911
    Bantamweight — Digger Stanley, 1910 (retained)
    Featherweight — Jim Driscoll, 1910 (retained)
    Lightweight — Freddie Welsh, 1909 (retained)
    Welterweight — Young Joseph, 1910
    Middleweight — Tom Thomas, 1909
    Light-heavyweight — Dick Smith, 1914 (retained)
    Heavyweight — Bombardier Billy Wells, 1911 (retained)
    The three above belts that were not retained by the holders were eventually held and retained by Jimmy Wilde (flyweight), Johnny Basham (welterweight) and Pat O’Keeffe (middleweight).


    The National Sporting Club became virtually defunct in the early 1930s and lost control of the sport to the British Boxing Board of Control. The latter body began issuing Lonsdale belts from 1936 onwards.
    The first holders of the B.B.B.C. belts were:-
    Flyweight — Benny Lynch, 1936
    Bantamweight — Johnny King, 1937
    Featherweight — Johnny McGrory, 1936
    Lightweight — Jimmy Walsh, 1936
    Welterweight — Jake Kilrain, 1938
    Middleweight — Jock McAvoy, 1937
    Light-heavyweight — Jock McAvoy, 1937
    Heavyweight — Tommy Farr, 1937
    Henry Cooper (heavyweight) is the only man ever to win three Lonsdale belts outright. Besides Henry Cooper the following boxers have won two Lonsdale belts outright:-
    Nel Tarleton (featherweight)
    Ronnie Clayton (featherweight)
    Peter Keenan (bantamweight)
    Howard Winstone (featherweight)
    Brian Curvis (welterweight)
    Clinton McKenzie (light-welterweight).
    In 1987 the B.B.B.C. decided no longer to award any fighter more than one belt in the same weight division. This still allows a fighter to win belts outright at two or more different weights.
    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.
    Recently, the belt awarded to Randy Turpin was auctioned for £23,000.


    List of outright winners (partial)

    Freddie Welsh (1912) [1]
    Jim Driscoll (1910)
    Digger Stanley (1910)
    Bombardier Billy Wells (heavyweight) (1913)
    Jimmy Wilde (flyweight) (1917)
    Pat O'Keeffe (middleweight) (1918)
    Johnny Brown (bantamweight) (1923) (defended twice 1925, retained)
    Jack Petersen (heavyweight) (1935)
    Nel Tarleton (outright winner of two belts in 1936 and 1945)
    Jackie Paterson (flyweight) (1943)
    Ronnie Clayton (outright winner of two belts in 1950 and 1953)
    Randolph Turpin (light-heavyweight) (1952, outright in 1956)
    Peter Keenan (outright winner of two belts in 1953 and 1957)
    Henry Cooper (outright winner of three belts)
    Brian Curvis (outright winner of two belts in 1961 and 1964)
    Howard Winstone (outright winner of two belts in 1962 and 1963)
    Maurice Cullen (lightweight) (1966)
    George Feeney (1984)
    Hugh Russell (1985)
    Billy Hardy (bantamweight) (1989)
    Lennox Lewis (heavyweight) (1992)
    Richie Wenton (super-bantam weight) (1994 - 1996)
    Julius Francis (heavyweight) (1999)
    Michael Gomez (super featherweight) (2000)
    Danny Williams (heavyweight) (2002)
    David Barnes (welterweight) (2004)
    Matt Skelton (heavyweight) (2005)
    Scott Dann (middleweight) (2005)
    Carl Froch (super middleweight) (2006)
    Kell Brook (welterweight) (2009)
    John Simpson (featherweight) (2010)
     
  14. miguel2010

    miguel2010 His hands are his weapons Full Member

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    wouldnt let me post a pic of the commonwealth belt on the previous post so here it is....
     
  15. KingCobra

    KingCobra IBF World Champion Full Member

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    I prefer the old design. Both are classy looking though.