Boxing Belts Explained

One of the hardest things when learning about boxing is learning how the belts work and what to pay attention to, With several organizations and several levels of belts its hard to know what to watch as a fan and what really matters. So today we break down what belts to look out for as a fan and what most of the common terminology means. So you can better understand what belts your favourite fighters such as Anthony Joshua, Canelo Alvarez, Naoya Inoue, Gervonta Tank Davis and all other fighters hold.

[@DR-178]

The reason the WBC create a new belt for every major fight is because every belt that is on the line for a fight takes a 3% cut from the fight purse and so the WBC tend to create a new belt every major fight because that's where the money is and they want their cut of the fight purse. Its nothing but greed and its ruining the sport.

[@Loveseatlegend]

Seasonal/Holiday/Commemorative belts do not have a 3% sanctioning fee. They do it to keep their organization front and center (even in undisputed fights) and to appeal to the fighters. Now when they had 3 champions at lightweight (full, interim and franchise), that was them milking fees. Same with the WBA with their Super and Regular titles.

[@manny5839]

WBC means We Be CROOKS I have more respect for the WBO & the IBF🔥

[@3000spills]

And that's why Mike Tyson considered all of his belts as garbage because of that reason. It's all about the money first and the sport second, even though sport is the money generator.

[@Rrrr101-x9l]

4 belts feel cooler in a way but it doesn’t work out when belt holders refuse to fight each other

[@DRACOFURY]

The WBA And The WBC Is The Problem With These Belts Bein Useless... Imagine You gotta pay a sanctionin fee for a REGULAR WBA Belt... Not knowing that there's a SUPER WBA champion belt that you should've been goin after 😤

[@CloisterYT]

Nothing but facts

[@aureum7479]

What’s even worse, the regular champion isn’t even mandated to fight the super champion

[@ReturningRuh]

UFC got it right

[@Josh_J91]

Ufc is absolute trash man, 2 white guys with tattoos and naked rolling on top of each other for 15 mins

[@twenty-2923]

I think 4 best is fine (to much but ok whatever) for me the problem is the “super” “regular” “silver “ “world champion “ titles are horrible. Have the 4 belt be the REAL or lineal world title and have an interim belt with a different look to not be confusing to the public. The fighter or fighters that win each 1 of the titles are ranked 1,2,3,4 and must fight each other to be unified or undisputed thus making the one that hold the most or all the belts in that division is the #1 in that weight class. These sanctions are making belts just to collect money from the fighters

[@jesusbaena8435]

True just t give them medals or something like that only the champs should get a belt

[@BigBrainLeeB]

My favourite new combat sports channel. Please dont slow down on the content, its fantastic

[@matiasfuentealba898]

You should check proppa boxing as well

[@BigBrainLeeB]

@@matiasfuentealba898 that’s another one of my favourites. I love their humour

[@davedavy5406]

Thanks for the video. I'd be interested in a follow up as to how the 'Mandatories' and the rankings etc work for different bodies, and a bit of an explanation as to why, for example in super bantamweight, you have Sam Goodman as the #1 ranked contender in IBF and WBO but he is #7 in WBC. Or why Marlon Tapales is ranked #2, #5, and #3 in in WBC, WBA and IBF respectively. I have a fairly basic understanding of it but find it very hard to explain to people. Also why often Mandatories don't fight the champ, like at the moment Zepeda is #1 contender in all 4 bodies for lightweight, but he is fighting Carbera

[@Franics_699]

Watch officehanchoboxing he has a video about world title belts

[@neyneyganeyney6046]

In Japan, a fighter have to either have won the JBC belt (Japanese national title) or the OPBF belt (ocean pacific regional title) to be eligible for fighting for a world title.

[@Franics_699]

Yes, they do. In America you need the NABO and NABF. in Europe, they have the EBU. But each country in Europe also has their national belts. In the UK you probably need the British title or the Commonwealth title.

[@StretchKOS]

That's a dope concept

[@outlaw._.lazines]

I only know that because of Hajime no Ippo.😂

[@monred7816]

@@outlaw._.lazinessame bro 😂

[@aureum7479]

@@Franics_699There is also the USBA and NABA, these are linked to the sanctioning bodies

[@jamesholyfield3304]

I think champions should be labeled like This : 1 belt = Champion 2 belt = unified champion 3 belts = unequivocally champion 4 belts = Undisputed champion

[@pitbullthedog668]

Agree. I like how boxing has multiple belts due to unifications.

[@twenty-2923]

Yea that’s how I view it but my problem is with these belts that look the same and have a dumb name Regular, super , silver all the same. Lineal WBC , WBA, IBF WBO world champion Interim WBC, WBA , IBF , WBO You win the inter WBC then have to fight the lineal WBC or else you are dropped from the interim belt. Like a mini tournament in the division top 10 Want to be 1 in that division capture 2 or more of the lineal champions or undisputed No ducking the guys with all the lineal belts must fight each other or be stripped

[@jonathanthrasher70]

I vote calling 3 belts Unrivaled Champion as having 3 of the 4 belts means no one is an equal rival

[@jamesholyfield3304]

@@jonathanthrasher70 Unrivaled definitely sounds alot cooler 💯 Even tho I could see a boxer with just the WBA belt vs a boxer with the other 3 definitely being rivals . Kinda like tank & lomochenko

[@jamesholyfield3304]

@@twenty-2923 That’s a great and fun way to go about picking a champion . I don’t know how but I would like the Ring belt to be seen as the lineal champ belt for each weight division . Like the only belt that can be took by defeat or retiring .

[@Ivan-li1yj]

Sorry, but you are incorrect if you comparing The ring magazine to the IBO or any other unrecognized sanctions. a ring magazine belt is a special belt then not all fighters can get, is a pretty much a lineal belt meaning that you are the top champion in that division and keep in mind that the ring magazine is one of the oldest belt’s that dates back from 1922.

[@MrManWithPlan]

I like the four belts but it would help if the champs ACTUALLY FOUGHT EACH OTHER! We need undisputed champs

[@aureum7479]

The Ring Magazine belt is a legitimate world championship, i don’t know where you are getting your information from ?

[@longride7234]

Sanctioning bodies are just contender for the THE RING & LINEAL CHAMPION aka TRUE CHAMPION in the DIVISION

[@Franics_699]

If your a boxer with no star power, the the ibf is a good organization for you. I mean once you became a number 1 contender in their organization, you have a guaranteed title shot. As long as you don't accept step aside money.

[@baguettebbomb]

This vid does a pretty good job of layin everything out clearly, nice work!

[@CloisterYT]

Thanks mate, appreciate you watching!

[@gkt1289]

Great work. Keep it up, good boxing content is hard to find

[@CloisterYT]

Thank you bro!

[@gedski88]

Thank you for breaking this down, I can’t keep track of the belts any more

[@opp1215]

Lol your alrdy severely wrong the ring championship and lineal championship are sianimous with eachother as the the ring only awards the belt to people ranked #1 or 2 and the only way to win it is to beat the lineal champion or become undisputed dam casuals makin videos now makin the boxing fan base brain rot grow

[@CloisterYT]

The ring belt is considered as a lineal belt, it usually coincides with who is considered the lineal champ at the time but sometimes it doesn’t. Being “lineal” champ is more of a title rather than a belt with its roots tracing back even before the ring

[@MaccaveliPL]

You don't need to be undisputed to become the new lineal champion.

[@aureum7479]

@@MaccaveliPLHe’s talking about the Ring Magazine title

[@ellie3910]

Cloister, I feel like boxing YT is missing a video that discusses the merits and history of the less-well known belts. I’ve always been curious as to what people actually think of the IBO and WBF.

[@brendonbatalla-k6r]

This makes me realize how good manny pacquio really is i mean 8 divisions isnt really a joke

[@ScoobaSteveNC]

Shane Mosley Jr has a intercontinental belt. Hopefully he fights for a world title one day

[@KBox1991]

I’m genuinely shocked the WBC doesn’t have a intercontinental title. Would of thought they would of loved the extra money

love your content bro! always watch you when I’m eating LOL

[@manrae]

WBC Franchise belt was never officially explained, even Mauricio couldn't explain it. Eventually, it was dropped, but it was labeled as the "duck" belt. What I've always wondered is whether or not WBO champs like Naseem Hamed and Marco Antonio Barrera were recognized even though the WBO wasn't officially accepted until 2004, Oscar v Hopkins

[@mthokozisimyende787]

Love this Video Love from SOUTH AFRICA!!!🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦

[@Asteroidpine]

Crazy when you realize Jake Paul has a WBC belt

[@GodCarnage]

Klitchko WAS NOT LINEAL. He Was not the best his brother was, his brother retired Bermaine Stiverne took his belt then Wilder took it and Klitchko was supposed to fight wilder for undisputed but he ducked for fury who was supposed to Be on drug suspension for Nandrolone for Christian hammer fighter 😂😂😂😂

[@MaccaveliPL]

Vitali was the best for a short stretch after Lewis retired in 2004, but he himself retired in 2005. Wladimir was seen as the man as early as his Byrd fight in 2006, but his official coronation was in 2009 after the Chagaev fight. After that he beat 3 top contenders to solidify his claim. Vitali returned in 2008 but was fighting second and third tier heavyweights, never being considered better than his brother. Wlad was definitely the lineal champion and trying to rewrite history now because of the Fury hate is silly.

[@hollywoodslym]

WBC-We back Canelo

[@CloisterYT]

😂😂

[@MarWan-yx8bp]

6:15 he got the "lgbtq champion belt" 😂

[@ToxicMedic11]

4 belts looks great and it helped me see a goal of mine. My problem tho is all the minor belts be making people want to turn boxing into the ufc

[@AlreadyHome25]

It's called sanctioning fees.

[@Hero-Productions]

First

[@antonioabbandonato1854]

Never heard of the WBF belt before, I like that its blue though

[@aureum7479]

It’s mainly used for boxers to rise up who are fighting in third world countries, like African and south East Asian countries.

[@abominable.7800]

do boxers still do mandatory fights to keep the belts? I feel like they should bring that back. i havent seen a good heavyweight fight since klitschko and lennox and that was a mandatory. People dont fight for the sake of strength and legacy anymore, just "if the moneys right" which I get but your robbing the people and making boxing a joke of a sport. Ever heard of no risk no reward

[@Franics_699]

Yes they do. but sometimes they pay them step aside money in order for the champion not to fight their mandatories. But sometimes they do fight their mandatories it actually depends on the fighter who holds the belt. I mean the only boxer I know who fought his mandatories was former boxer Bernard Hopkins.

[@jaydenrandolph3155]

Uysk vs fury was a great fight cut it out, your just old and hating

[@EnzoMtero]

Know how many belt there in boxing there probably 1 billion 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀

[@shawncadiente6051]

How important is it for a boxer to compete at an Olympic level?

[@alexanderhilzim8081]

Only amateur boxers compete in the Olympics it's the highest point ifor an amateur career. If u win a medal your lining yourself up for a quick title shot in the pros and promoters will be throwing money at you

[@Franics_699]

Yes if you have good amateur credentials then you can potentially have a world title in the least amount of fights. Basically you skip the side quests.

[@lacienzia]

Has Benavidez activated his mandatory status?

[@Franics_699]

Actually the wba and wbo has differentl super champions. Currently the wba has two belts, the regular and super belt. But don't get confused the super belt is the real champion not the regular belt. If the super champion decides to vacate it then the regular title belt holder will be upgraded to super champion. I really hate this two belt system that wba has but I read from an article that they plan to remove it. The wbo on the other hand does have a two belt system like the wba. Like the video said if you the wbo title holder had multiple defenses of your current wbo title then the wbo will upgrade you to super champion meaning for example you decide to move up in weight you will become the direct mandatory for the wbo title in the higher weight class. For example a lightweight boxer who has a wbo title belt and he got upgraded to super champion. He will become the direct mandatory for the Evo super lightweight title if he decides to move up. If you guys are still confused there is a KZbin by the name of officehanchoboxing. He has video explaining about world title belts, go check him out.

[@aureum7479]

Not entirely true. The WBO does have a super championship but they don’t have a two belt system, as in when a fighter becomes super champion, they are still the sole WBO champion in that weight class, They don’t create a secondary championship like the WBA.

[@ScoobaSteveNC]

What happened to the iBO?

[@supersasukemaniac]

IBO is considered minor.

[@MF-ys3ux]

The lineal belt is the ring magazine belt I thought?

[@robbielong2884]

Ring is who they say is best in the class . Lineal is the man who beat the man and going back .

[@humbledragger6411]

You can be the lineal champion with no belt

[@longride7234]

The ring + lineal champion= true champion In the division

[@longride7234]

​@@humbledragger6411lineage the man who beat the man..

[@humbledragger6411]

@@longride7234 I know

[@ba-dum-tss9169]

awesome video mate

[@tankisomakhetha2836]

Love your work

[@CloisterYT]

Appreciate you tuning in!

[@jeremievivianagriffin9458]

What about the EBU belt?

[@don8244]

It's a B level belt at best

[@Franics_699]

It's a regional belt in Europe just like there is OPBF in Asia, and NABF and NABO in the us

[@aureum7479]

@@don8244It actually puts you at the top of the regional rankings and a stepping stone for a world title