The heavyweight belt given to Russian boxer Sergei "Krusher" Kovalev after his defeat of former champion Jean Pascal earlier this month is worth a cool $45,000, his manager said Tuesday.
Kovalev uploaded a picture of the diamond-studded belt to his Instagram account earlier this week with a caption reading: "My New [World Boxing Council] belt."
The boxer's manager Egis Klimas told the TASS news agency that the WBC Diamond Belt was worth tens of thousands of dollars.
"This is not a cheap belt, it is worth $45,000 and contains real diamonds," Klimas said in the report.
By winning the March 15 match against the Haitian-born Canadian Pascal, Kovalev retained his triple light heavyweight boxing titles as World Boxing Association, World Boxing Organization and International Boxing Federation champion.
Wrestlers, boxers and those competing in other combat sports are usually awarded championship belts as a reward for their achievements, rather than cups or trophies. The belts often feature specific designs for each tournament.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.