WBC DIAMOND BELT AT STAKE IN SANTA CRUZ-MARES SHOWDOWN
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 28 Aug 2015
The World Boxing Council is once again putting its coveted Diamond Belt on the line for the winner of an eagerly-awaited title fight between super bantamweight champion Leo Santa Cruz and three times world champion Abner Mares.
The WBC said ?the organization proudly presents boxers of the highest level among the elite even as it pointed out that there are only a few who manage to conquer this impressive belt, manufactured with diamonds and other gemstones.
The WBC website wished the best of luck to both Santa Cruz who has an undefeated record of 30-0-1 with 17 knockouts and Mares who has a record of 29-1-1 with 15 knockouts as they prepare to do battle in what may well turn out to be a classic.
The first winner of the WBC Diamond Belt was eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao who earned the prestigious belt when he dominated Puerto Rico?s Miguel Cotto to score a 12th round TKO victory on November 14, 2009.
The belt was manufactured using the same design as the traditional green and gold belt but the materials used included 18K gold fusion, 598 diamonds, 196 emeralds and 150 Swarovsky semi precious stones.
Other winners of the Diamond Belt include another Filipino, Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire, Sergio ?Maravilla? Martinez, Bernard Hopkins, Canada?s Jean Pascal, Russia?s Sergey Kovalev and undefeated pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr who won another version of the Belt when he beat Pacquiao in the ?Fight of the Century? last May 2.
The diamond-encrusted belt cost more than $1 million which the WBC said was an ?exquisite masterpiece especially designed by the World Boxing Council for a unique bout that is already gracing the pages of boxing history.?
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