INVENTOR OF MODERN BOXING BELT INDUCTED INTO HALL OF FAME
Posted by Lilly Torosyan on October 25, 2012
America’s favorite nonagenarian may be Betty White, but in the boxing
world one man has stepped into the ring to challenge this title. Ardash
Sahaghian, the originator of the modern boxing belt, lives a life
away from the spotlight and is unknown to most of the boxing world
and fans. On Nov. 8, Sahaghian will finally be inducted into the New
Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame, after over 30 years of silent contribution.
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Ardash Sahaghian
Humble beginnings
Born in Romania to a family that escaped the Armenian Genocide,
Sahaghian worked various odd jobs when he was younger-from grocery
store clerk to cobbler-until he became a trained jeweler, following
in his brother’s footsteps. Because of the communist policies, the
brothers got in trouble when a watchmaker revealed to the authorities
that “Sahaghian” was the owner of the gold used to fashion the
watch parts. Ardash took full responsibility for his brother’s
jewelry business, as his brother was newly married and frail. He was
subsequently arrested, tortured, and imprisoned. His mother, upon
witnessing the interrogation and torture, died of anxiety and trauma.
The decision to leave for America was not a very difficult one,
he says.
The journey took Sahaghian and his wife, Nazeli, to various countries,
including Brazil and South Africa. In South Africa, Sahaghian served as
the foreman of a factory, and despite the rampant racism and apartheid
at the time, treated his black employees as his equals-even driving
them home and going to their bars. “It’s his MO,” his grandson,
Edward Majian, proudly states. “For him, it was always nothing more
than just getting the job done and treating everyone with fairness
and respect,” he continues.
>From 1975 until the early 1980’s, the boxing belts began to take on
their final designs. Sahaghian’s skills as a craftsman jeweler were
vital to creating such detailed, intricate pieces. Despite his success
in this field, the process of transitioning from a jeweler to a boxing
belt designer was unexpected and quite sudden for the inventor.
Transition to designing
Once in the United States, Sahaghian worked in a tool and dye factory,
but a serious injury left him incapacitated and unable to walk for
months. After a slow recovery, he sought a job that would allow him
to work on a jewelry bench. He happened upon a jewelry designer named
Philip Valentino, Sr., who was impressed with Sahaghian’s ability
to create filigree pieces, as well as to design his own creations,
which were sold to companies such as Tiffany and Co.
Valentino, an avid boxing enthusiast, invited Sahaghian in the late
1970’s to redesign old boxing belts and create completely new designs
for the up-and-coming boxing organizations. “It was the work of this
period that ultimately became, and remains, the industry image to
this day,” explains Majian. With the exception of the WBC, every
organization at the time used the belts that Sahaghian created at
Valentino’s fabrication shop in New Jersey.
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Majian (L) and Sahaghian
“Looking back, I see that it was a natural change for me. It fit,”
Sahaghian tells the Weekly. “These belts are like big pieces of
intricate jewelry, or sculptures. It was not such a big change for me,
just bigger than what I did. And I see that it was what I needed.
They became my biggest creations.”
“I worked with small jewelry all my life. Of course, when [Valentino]
invited me to create big designs, I said I could do it. I was used
to working small-working big was easy for me. So, I accepted his
invitation and got to work,” he adds.
Sartonk Designs
Four years ago, Majian founded “Sartonk” Designs (derived from the
Armenian “zartonk,” meaning “renaissance”), continuing the tradition
of designing belts that have adorned virtually every world champion
since 1976, including Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, and Arthur Abraham, and
in order to deter the plagiarizers that had been calling Sahaghian’s
work their own for decades. “Up until four years ago, no one really
knew who made the belts, so I founded the company to preserve my
grandfather’s legacy,” Majian explains.
“Sartonk’s mission is to restore the dignity of getting a boxing
belt. It is not sold to the public, as everything is made specifically
for the men and women in the ring. We’ve tried to use Sartonk as
a vehicle for having a positive influence on peoples’ lives, which
drives us to do more.” The company offers the Ali-King Award, named
after Muhammad Ali and Martin Luther King, Jr., to “promote writing
and critical thinking skills in young boxers,” says Hasmig Tatiossian,
Sartonk’s executive manager and director of community affairs.
Sahaghian’s designs are used by most major boxing organizations
worldwide, such as the World Boxing Association (WBA), the
International Boxing Federation (IBF), and the World Boxing
Organization (WBO).
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Sahagian at work.
His advice to young aspiring Armenians of the next generation is to
“do what you love to do, and do it for that reason. Don’t worry too
much about recognition or not getting recognition. There were many
times when I didn’t think anyone would ever know-that my work might
be lost, but that did not stop me from creating. And, in the end,
you never know.”
Internationally recognized boxing referee and International Boxing Hall
of Fame inductee Joe Cortez expressed his excitement at Sahaghian’s
long-awaited induction. “I’m happy he’s finally inducted. He’s one
of the individuals who should have been inducted years ago. He’s
a master, creator, and legend. Without him, we wouldn’t have these
belts,” he said. “In my heart, he’s a people’s champion, a champion
of the champions.”
For more information about Sartonk Designs, visit
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