The piece was awarded to English pugilist Charley Mitchell following his bout with the legendary "Boston Strong Boy" John L Sullivan in 1888.
 Charley Mitchell was awarded the belt after a notorious 1888 bout |
The illegal fight took place in Chantilly, France and resulted in a draw following a gruelling 39 rounds. Afterwards both men were arrested.
Chris Ivy, director of sports auctions at Heritage Auctions, comments: "Few early boxing relics survive from this era and Mitchell's belt is one of the most coveted.
"Mitchell's countrymen gifted this rather elaborate belt to him on his valor and effort in the ring. The belt is both a piece of sporting history as well as English history."
The lot was paid for by 15 fans of Mitchell, who were impressed with his stand against the most respected fighter of the day.
The lot is inscribed: "Presented to Charles Mitchell to Commemorate His Gallant Fight with John L. Sullivan for the Championship of the World on March 10th 1888 near Paris Resulting in a Draw, 39 Rounds being Fought, in 3 Hours 11 Minutes."
It's valued in excess of $30,000.
The sale will also feature a Yankees jersey worn by Mickey Mantle in 1966.
You can check out our incredible selection of sports memorabilia for sale by clicking here.
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