Lonsdale Belt

 

Scott was presented with the Lonsdale belt after successfully defending the British Middleweight Title three time.

 

The Lonsdale Belt is the oldest championship belt in the history of boxing and its origins started in London in 1909. The belt is named after Lord Lonsdale who was patron of the National Sporting Club. The Earl of Lonsdale was a keen boxing fan who supported boxing for many years.

It was originally presented to the champion in each British weight division and the holder could keep the belt if it was won and then defended two times, it now has to be defended three times. Freddie Welsh first won the first belt in 1909 for winning the British lightweight title. Heavyweight Henry Cooper was the first person to win three Lonsdale Belts outright in his seventeen year professional career.

 

Bombardier" Billy Wells from London's East End was the first British Heavyweight to win the Lonsdale Belt back in 1911 where he defeated Ian Hague with a sixth round knockout.

Billy defended the title thirteen times, a record that stood for many years, before losing against Joe Beckett in February 1919. The Lonsdale Belt that he won was the original heavyweight belt and is crafted from 22 carat gold unlike later belts which are crafted from gold and porcelain.

 

The famous Lonsdale Belt.