Boxing gloves

Why boxing gloves?

Boxing gloves are the basic equipment for multiple combat sports, and are used to protect your metacarpals and to protect your opponent by attenuating the impact of your blows.
Thus, boxing gloves allow you to protect yourself but also and especially to protect your opponent. And in boxing, when you give, you also take. So it is important for everyone's safety to choose and wear boxing gloves that will properly absorb the impact and not risk injuring anyone.

The boxing glove is used by fighters to cushion the impact for both the opponent and the fighter. A glove is made of several parts: the fingers with the hand, the thumb with the wrist.

• The fingers: they are well protected on the phalanges and joints. It is this surface that hits the opponent, so this is where the most important padding is found. This ensures that you don't injure yourself, or damage the opponent.
• The thumb: it is on its own, but attached to the part that covers the hand in order to avoid a clumsy and unexpected gesture that could then turn it over. This is again to protect the opponent, since if it was not attached, it could come up against the opponent's eye
• The wrist: it is also protected. First of all, it must be well tightened to avoid rotations and therefore sprains. The wrist is in the front line when we are in the guard position; it therefore protects us from the opponent's blows. The padding present at the wrist will therefore absorb the impacts.

For a competition fight, a glove size will be imposed according to your weight and the competition. For your training gloves, you will need to choose larger protections in order to repeat the exercises as much as possible with as little risk of injury as possible.

How to choose your size of boxing gloves ?

The size of gloves is expressed in "Oz" which is none other than the English unit of measurement used internationally (1 oz = 28.349 g). This unit of measurement represents the weight of the glove. The heavier the boxing glove is, the more foam is contained in the glove. This padding allows for better protection of your fists, and especially for better protection of your opponent. However, the heavier the glove is, the more effort you will have to make... You should therefore select a glove size that corresponds well to your weight category.

There are different correspondences between the weight of the fighters and the recommended Oz sizes. Indeed, this can vary according to the recommendations of the different federations and glove manufacturers. Below is a table of average values. Also, it is best to ask your coach which size to choose.

Choosing the model

Your level (beginner, advanced, competitor), the type of boxing you do and how often you train will determine the budget you need to spend on it and which model to choose.

Laced gloves fit your hands better, so they have a better fit and are more comfortable, however you will not be able to close them on your own, you will need someone to help you. Conversely, the fighter to put on and take off his velcro closure gloves without anyone's help.

Maintenance and life span

It is highly recommended to wear protective strips under the gloves, on the one hand it will protect you more effectively, and on the other hand it will keep your gloves cleaner. Thus, the strips will absorb perspiration and you will only have to wash them in the machine.

On the other hand, outside of your training sessions, make sure to place them in a well-ventilated area, and away from the sun to limit the aging of the leather.

Also, your boxing gloves should not be used on punching bags, instead you should wear bag & sparring gloves specifically designed for this purpose.