An important part of boxing has always been the connection to the history of the sport. Bare-knuckle boxing organization BYB Extreme Bare Knuckle Fighting Series has just taken a remarkable step in that direction by acquiring the rights to the Police Gazette World Diamond Belt. The history of this belt dates back to 1881 and was won by John L. Sullivan in 1889 in a 75-round fight against Jake Kilrain.

The Police bulletin Belt, conceived by publisher Richard K. Fox (who was one of the first to have a regular sports section in his newspaper and is in the International Boxing Hall of Fame), was not the first belt to be awarded as a martial arts trophy. But it was the first expected to be awarded directly from champion to champion. And this fight between Sullivan and Kilrain for this belt was one of the most famous in history. However, it was the last widely recognized bare-knuckle title fight for a long time, leading even the gazette In 1894, the restriction on bare-knuckle fights for the title was lifted, and after Fox’s death in 1922, the belt fell into dormancy.

However, with the resurgence and legalization of bare knuckle fighting in recent decades, the title has returned. In recent years, it has been awarded to winners of international and cross-competition bare knuckle competitions, including some fighters from BYB and the European-based BKB promotion, which they acquired in May.

But this acquisition has further strengthened BYB’s position in the bare-knuckle sport worldwide. And Scott Burt, president of the Bare-Knuckle Hall of Fame (who has overseen the preservation and distribution of the belt from that Hall of Fame and the restored Sullivan Training Facility in Belfast, NY since 2016), said in a press release that the decision to officially associate the belt with BYB was made following this BKB acquisition and after much research and consideration.

“This has been Richard K. Fox’s dream for all these years, and mine too, to have the best fighters in the world fight under one roof and have the Police Gazette as the umbrella over everything. The Police Gazette Diamond Belt is by far the best – the highest honor in bare-knuckle boxing, there is absolutely no other. In fact, every single combat sport you’ve ever seen where the winner has held up a belt comes from our Police Gazette Diamond Belt.”

“After Fox’s death and until my successor, the Police Gazette Diamond Belt and its entire history lay dormant. The decision to transfer the rights to BYB came after six years of quiet research and consideration to find a home where the legacy of the belt and the sport could continue to grow and thrive. BYB’s commitment to history and the continued professionalism of bare knuckle fighting made it by far the most worthy place for the future preservation of our sport’s history.”

The Police Gazette belt will now be the recognized BYB World Championship title. BYB CEO Greg Bloom said in this press release that he is thrilled to bring this history to his organization.

“From John L. Sullivan winning the Police Gazette title in 1882, to his legendary 75-round fight against Jake Kilrain in 1889, to Dada 5000’s backyard in West Perrine in Miami in the early 2000s, to BYB’s monumental global expansion through the acquisition of BKB, the history of not only bare-knuckle fighting, but championship prizefighting is undeniably rooted in BYB. Fighters looking to make their mark in bare-knuckle fighting now have only one place to go to compete for the oldest championship belt in all of combat sports, and that is for the largest bare-knuckle fighting organization in the world, BYB. The past, present and future of this sport are brought together through one bare-knuckle fighting organization, and that is BYB Extreme.”

In addition to signing top fighters, BYB has also signed many well-known figures from the combat sports world. These include veteran broadcaster Mike Goldberg, renowned ring announcer Kody “Big Mo” Mommaerts and many more. And the acquisition of this belt appears to be another way for the promotion to further establish itself in the combat sports ranks ahead of its next event, Saturday’s BYB 29: Brawl In The Pines III card in Pembroke Pines, Florida.