Full size127 cm / 50 in · 2.7 kgReal leatherEngravable plates
The essentials: the WBA descends from the National Boxing Association, formed in 1921 by thirteen US state commissions — the oldest of the four major sanctioning bodies. Its belt is known by the gold crown above the plate and its navy leather with burgundy piping. The two side plates ship blank: engrave them, or fill them with your own artwork. 127 cm / 50 in, about 2.7 kg / 6 lb. €159, free shipping.
1921, thirteen state commissions
The National Boxing Association was formed in 1921 when thirteen US state athletic commissions agreed to recognise a single champion per weight class. It became the World Boxing Association in 1962 as it opened up beyond the United States.
It is the eldest of the four, and the plate has kept a period vocabulary: crown, garlands, central shield.
The belt
Real navy leather with burgundy piping all the way round. Heavily worked oval gold centre plate topped by a red and gold crown; at its heart a round white and red medallion carrying two boxers and the words WORLD CHAMPION. Either side, two smooth oval plates with gold rims, each crowned in the same way.
What the photograph will not tell you: those two side ovals are deliberately blank. That is where an engraving goes — name, gym, date — or a photo, depending on what you ask for at the order. At the back, the strap adjusts on a hook-and-loop band. Laid out, the belt runs 127 cm / 50 in and weighs about 2.7 kg / 6 lb.
Technical specifications
Buying tip: on the two blank ovals, three short lines engrave better than a long text: name, weight class, year. For a photo, send a tight crop on the face to info@esprit-boxe.com; artwork comes back before anything is made.
Which belt for a club show
The choice rarely turns on the sanctioning body. It turns on what the belt has to carry. Two blank ovals like these take an engraved name and a date, read close up. Portrait medallions put faces forward, visible from across a room in a presentation photograph. Both can be customised; they simply do not read the same at 3 m / 10 ft.
You may also like
- WBC championship belt — green leather and a ring of flags, if you want four portrait medallions rather than two engravable ovals.
- WBO championship belt — burgundy leather and a gold eagle with open wings, if you want the most sculpted plate of the group.
- Custom championship belt — built from scratch in your colours and logo, if you are starting from a blank page.
The full range sits in the boxing belts and trophies collection.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the oldest boxing sanctioning body?
The WBA. It descends from the National Boxing Association, founded in 1921 by thirteen US state athletic commissions, and has carried its present name since 1962.
How big is the belt?
127 cm / 50 in overall and about 2.7 kg / 6 lb, the size of a real championship belt. It adjusts on a hook-and-loop band at the back.
Can the side plates be engraved?
Yes, the two ovals ship blank for exactly that. They take three short lines of engraving, or a photo, depending on what you specify with the order.
What leather is it made from?
Real leather 3 mm thick in navy, with burgundy piping stitched all the way round and brass plates in a gold finish.
What is on the centre medallion?
Two raised boxers in a white and red circle under the words WORLD CHAMPION, the whole thing topped by a crown — the emblem of the World Boxing Association.
Is this belt a replica?
Yes — a full-size, highly detailed replica of the WBA world championship belt: 127 cm / 50 in, about 2.7 kg / 6 lb, real 3 mm leather and brass plates in a gold finish. Unlike an official belt, it can be personalised: engraving on the ovals, photos, leather colour.
