Punching well above its weight, a 9ct gold Lonsdale Championship boxing trophy presented to legendary Glaswegian champion Benny Lynch was the top draw at Fellows’ (23% buyer’s premium) sale in Birmingham.

Extracted from Antiques Trade Gazette | Terence Ryle

Born in 1913, Lynch became professional at the age of 18, winning 88 of his 119 fights.

The 6½in (16.5cm) trophy, made by Mappin & Webb, Sheffield, 1936, was presented after Lynch defeated his opponent in 1937 to become ‘undisputed flyweight champion of the world’.

Modelled as the Earth surmounted by a banner, it featured panels engraved with boxing scenes and details of Lynch’s remarkable career. He retired from boxing soon afterwards and died just nine years later at the age of 33.

More than 2000 people attended his Glasgow funeral but the cause of death, ‘malnutrition induced respiratory failure’, tells its own tale.

At Fellows’ September 12 sale the 15.5oz (48gms) trophy was pitched at £5000-8000.

Bidding rose swiftly to the current scrap value of 9ct gold (about £6700) but continued until it sold to an undisclosed buyer at £12,000 (£15,312 with fees).