People searching for the WBA belt want a few answers. They want to know what it means, why the WBA has so many champions, and what a belt is worth. I’ll cover those, then show how we build a WBA style belt in our workshop in Sialkot, Pakistan.
Retro Shields makes replicas and isn’t affiliated with the WBA.
Key Takeaways
- The WBA is the oldest of four major boxing organizations. It began as the National Boxing Association in 1921 and took its current name in 1962.
- It has used super, regular, interim, and Gold titles. It tried to cut to one champion per division in 2021, then brought secondary titles back in 2024.
- Champions keep their belts. Fighters pay a reported 3% of their purse to the WBA to fight for its title.
- Our WBA style belt runs 48 inches and weighs about 1.5 kg or more.
Table of Contents
What does the WBA belt mean?
The WBA belt marks a world title from the World Boxing Association, one of four major sanctioning bodies alongside the WBC, IBF, and WBO. A sanctioning body is a group that approves title fights and ranks fighters.
Where the WBA came from
The WBA is the oldest of the big four. Representatives from 13 U.S. states formed it in 1921 as the National Boxing Association. The first title fight it recognized was Jack Dempsey vs. Georges Carpentier.
The NBA existed to counter the New York State Athletic Commission. The two groups sometimes crowned different world champions in the same division. In 1962, the NBA became the World Boxing Association and began admitting members from other countries.
What the belt gives a fighter
A WBA title puts a fighter on the world stage. It also brings duties. The champion must defend against a mandatory challenger, the highest ranked fighter who earns the next title shot.
When the two sides can’t agree on money, the WBA can order a purse bid. Promoters then bid for the right to stage the fight.
What do WBA super, regular, interim, and Gold mean?
They are tiers the WBA has used to name champions in one weight class. Super is the best known, regular is a second champion in the same division, interim is a placeholder, and Gold arrived in 2019.
| Title | What it means | When it appeared |
|---|---|---|
| Super | Created for WBA champions also recognized by the WBC, IBF, or WBO. Also given after five or more defenses. | 2000 |
| Regular | The separate champion named once a Super champion exists. | After the Super title |
| Interim | A placeholder when a champion can’t defend on time. | Vacated in 2021, brought back in 2024 |
| Gold | A secondary title the WBA began awarding in 2019. | 2019 |
Lennox Lewis suggested the Super title in 2000. The WBA had made him give up its heavyweight belt before a defense against Michael Grant.
The system got messy fast. In November 2001, William Joppy beat Howard Eastman for a WBA middleweight belt while Bernard Hopkins held the Super title. The Associated Press noted that the WBA couldn’t clearly explain why it had two middleweight champions.
By December 2019, the WBA recognized four heavyweight champions at once: Anthony Joshua (Super), Mahmoud Charr (regular), Trevor Bryan (interim), and Robert Helenius (Gold).
What happened to the WBA belt?
The WBA tried to end its multiple champion system in 2021, then started bringing secondary titles back in 2024. The belt still exists, but the one champion plan stalled.
Here’s the timeline:
- August 2021: The Association of Boxing Commissions sent a letter saying the WBA’s multiple titles were misleading to the public and the boxers.
- August 25, 2021: The WBA declared its interim titles vacant and ordered fights to leave one champion per division.
- September 2023: A court settlement forced the WBA to reinstate Mahmoud Charr as its regular heavyweight champion.
- January 2024: The WBA began sanctioning interim and regular titles again in divisions with a sole champion.
- August 2024: BoxRec removed WBA titles from its records.
The shrinking champion count
World Boxing News reported that WBA titleholders fell from 55 to 28 after the interim titles ended. Charr challenged his removal and won reinstatement in 2023.
Champions change often, so check our list of who holds every boxing world title right now.
Which belt is better, WBA or WBC?
Neither is better under the rules. The WBA is older, and many pundits call the WBC the most prestigious.
| WBA | WBC | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1921 as the NBA, renamed in 1962 | 1963 |
| Belt color | Black and gold | Green |
| Extra titles | Super, regular, interim, Gold | Diamond, Silver, Eternal |
| Reputation | Oldest of the four | Often called the most prestigious |
A belt maker’s take
I make belts, not rankings, so I won’t crown a winner. Here’s what I see from the bench. A belt only means something when the fight behind it did.
More titles mean more belts get made. I’d still rather build one belt that fans trust than four they argue about.
For another comparison, see how the IBO belt differs from the WBC and WBA. For ranking rules, see how WBC rankings and tournaments work.
What is a WBA belt made of?
A real one is a black leather strap with gold colored plates and a globe logo. Ours use cast plates with gold tone plating on a leather strap.
Four steps take one from idea to finished belt:
- Make a die for the plate design.
- Cast the plates in a mold.
- Apply the gold tone plating.
- Mount the plates on the leather strap with the lining.
Plates: cast from a die, or etched
We start with a die for the plate design. We cast the plates from that die in a mold. Some designs we etch instead, which gives a different look.
Gold plating
Next comes the plating. We use gold tone plating, so the plates look gold without being solid gold.
The WBA’s own special belts follow the same idea. Its “Man of Triumph” belts are gold plated, and Floyd Mayweather Jr. got the first one. Manny Pacquiao got a one time rhodium plated version.
Strap and lining
The plates mount on a leather strap. The lining sits against the waist, so its quality matters. A 1985 WBA title belt sold through an auction house had a red velvet lining.
Size and weight
Ours runs 48 inches and weighs about 1.5 kg or more. That 1985 belt’s listing gives 42 inches and about 4 pounds, which is about 1.8 kg.
What separates a good build from a cheap one
Look at the engraving first, then the lining. Those two details tell you the most about a belt.
Real title belts are made to measure
Nikolay Valuev told the BBC that his new WBA title belt didn’t fit around his waist. The WBA had a larger one made.
For a full comparison of metals, see our guide to brass vs. zinc vs. 24K gold.
How much is a WBA belt worth?
There’s no single price. A belt’s worth depends on whether it’s a replica, a belt a champion used, or a jewel studded custom piece.
- Replica: you pay for the build and the design.
- Ring used memorabilia: history drives the price. A 1984 Greg Page WBA heavyweight belt sold at auction for $1,200.
- Jewel belts: Sergey Kovalev’s WBC diamond belt was valued at $45,000 by his manager. It’s a WBC belt, but it shows how far materials can push a price.
Do boxers get to keep the WBA belt?
Yes. Champions keep their belts after they lose the title, and the new champion gets a new one.
Yordenis Ugás lost his black and gold belt in a robbery at his Las Vegas home. The WBA gave him a replacement at its 102nd Convention in Orlando.
How much do fighters pay in WBA sanctioning fees?
Press reports put the fee at 3% of a fighter’s purse, paid out of the boxer’s own money. A purse is what a fighter earns for a fight.
- Cap: The Ring reported a cap near $250,000, so top earners pay a smaller share.
- Minimum: Small fights carry a minimum fee, even though title fighters get no minimum purse.
- Multiple belts: A fighter who holds several belts pays several bodies.
- Enforcement: The WBA refused to recognize Carlos Baldomir as champion after he didn’t pay.
- Revenue: One outlet reported that about 67% of the WBA’s total revenue, around $4 million, comes from these fees.
These figures come from press reports, not the WBA’s published rulebook.
Can you get a WBA style belt made?
Yes. Boxing clubs order customized WBA style belts from us, and we build them to your design. These are replicas, and Retro Shields isn’t affiliated with the WBA.
You pay nothing to place an order, and we confirm every detail on WhatsApp first. Browse our boxing championship belts to start.
FAQ
What is the difference between a WBA super and regular champion?
A Super champion usually holds another body’s belt too, or has defended the WBA title five or more times. The regular champion is a separate titleholder the WBA names once a Super champion exists.
Is the WBA still a recognized world title?
Yes. The WBA still sanctions world title fights and remains one of the four major bodies. Some outlets disagree: BoxRec removed WBA titles from its records in August 2024.
Is a WBA belt solid gold?
No. Official belts are black leather with gold colored plates, and the WBA’s special belts are gold plated. Ours use gold tone plating.
Who makes official WBA belts?
The WBA doesn’t name one maker in anything I found. Its 2021 centennial belt was credited to a maker called Sartonk, and a 1985 belt carries a Valentino stamp.
