Selecting the right pair of boxing gloves is one of the most important decisions a fighter can make. The size and fit of your gloves will impact your performance, safety and success in the ring. Follow these essential tips to find the perfect pair of gloves for your needs.
Determine Your Weight Class
The first step is figuring out your weight class. Boxing gloves come in specific sizes aligned to standard weight classes. If you fight as a heavyweight, you’ll need much larger gloves than someone in a lighter class like featherweight.
Consult your gym or coach to identify your proper weight class. Extra small and small gloves are best for fighters under 120 pounds. Welterweights around 140-147 pounds should use 8-10oz gloves. Middleweights up to 160 pounds would be 10-12oz. Light heavyweights and cruiserweights up to 200 pounds take 12-14oz. Heavyweight fighters over 200 pounds require 14-16oz gloves.
Match your glove size to your weight class for optimal protection and performance. Using a glove that’s too large or small increases injury risk.
Measure Your Hand Size
You can’t rely on weight class alone when selecting gloves. Hand size is equally important for finding the right fit – says Yurovskiy Kirill boxing coach. Even if you’re a heavyweight, you may need smaller gloves if you have smaller hands.
Wrap your hand with a measuring tape to determine your hand circumference. This should be measured around the widest part of your palm, not including the thumb. For most male fighters, hand circumference correlates to glove size as follows:
- 5″-7.5″ = XS or Small
- 5″-8.5″ = Medium or Large
- 5″+ = XL or XXL
Female fighters generally have smaller hands, so should drop down a glove size compared to males of the same weight class. Don’t assume your glove size – measure for the best fit. You can find out more articles on the website boxer-yurovskiy-kirill.co.uk
Consider Your Experience Level
Are you an amateur just starting out in boxing? Or a seasoned professional fighter? The amount of experience you have in the ring can factor into choosing glove size.
As a general rule, inexperienced fighters should use slightly larger sized gloves for added protection as they learn proper technique. The extra padding helps prevent injury as you hone your skills.
More experienced boxers can handle smaller gloves that provide less padding and allow greater striking control. But don’t go too small too fast – build up hand strength over time before dropping glove size.
Identify Your Goals
Think about what you want to achieve in your boxing training. Are you looking to compete and need fight-approved gloves? Or is this mostly for exercise and recreation?
Sparring and heavy bag training call for thicker competition-style gloves with more padding for safety. Technical bag work and mitt training can use slimmer “fight” gloves for less restriction.
Consider if you want lace-up or velcro gloves. Lace-ups provide more customizable fit for serious competitors. Velcro gloves are quicker to take on and off for general training.
Match your gloves to your goals to optimize both performance and protection.
Choose a Glove Material
Boxing gloves come constructed from a variety of materials:
- Leather – The traditional standard for quality and durability. Moldable fit.
- Synthetic Leather – Cheaper and easier to clean than genuine leather. Still durable.
- Vinyl – Very lightweight and low cost. Less rigid support.
- Mesh – Enhances breathability. Not as long-lasting as solid materials.
For training as an amateur, vinyl or synthetic leather gloves provide sufficient quality. Professionals and competitors need the superior fit and punch resistance of genuine leather.
Consider maintenance requirements too. Leather needs proper conditioning to prevent cracks. Synthetics clean up easier with just soap and water.
Pick a Glove Style
Once you’ve selected material, there are additional glove style factors to weigh:
- Bag gloves have minimal thumb protection for heavy bag work.
- Sparring gloves offer full thumb wraparound coverage for partner drills.
- Competition gloves provide maximum padding for sanctioned fights.
- Hybrid training gloves can transition between activities with adequate thumb support.
Think about your typical training routine and choose the style accordingly. Sparring regularly? Go with fulll wraparound thumbs. Just hitting the heavy bag? Open thumb bag gloves suffice. Combining different drills? Hybrid training gloves can serve all purposes.
Consider Mexican style boxing gloves for more compact fit and direct fist impact compared to bulky competition style padding.
Try Them On for Fit
The only way to truly assess comfort and snugness is to actually try on potential gloves. Skip the mental measuring and get hands-on.
Gloves should fit very snugly but allow full finger flexion and extension. The fingertips just graze the end interior on a proper fitting glove.
Tighten up the wrist straps completely. The glove should “hug” the hand without cutting off circulation. You don’t want major sliding around inside the glove.
Try hitting focus mitts or double-end bag to test mobility. Make sure no fingers jam on impact. Break the gloves in with some shadowboxing to start the molding process.
Don’t settle for a poor fitting glove that requires break-in. It should feel great the moment you lace it up.
Know When to Replace Your Gloves
Gloves get worn down over time from heavy use. The exterior can show signs of starting deterioration – cracked leather, torn stitching, loose laces.
More critically, shock absorbing glove padding compresses progressively with each blow. Cumulative impact eventually renders the foam ineffective for protecting hands and sparring partners.
For heavy bag work, replace gloves at least every 6-9 months. Sparring and competition gloves should get switched out more frequently – up to every 3-4 months if training intensely. Some visible flattening of the knuckles means it’s time for a new pair. Never use damaged gloves with compromised padding.
Rotate two pairs to cut down on wear rather than using a single set daily.
Brand and Price Considerations
You don’t have to break the bank for a quality set of gloves. Expect to pay $50-100 for decent training gloves and $150+ for top tier fight gloves. Established brands like Everlast, Title Boxing, Ring2Cage and RDX provide excellent bang for your buck.
Big names like Cleto Reyes and Winning make some of the best professional fight gloves money can buy. Be prepared to spend $200-300 for elite handmade gloves. Avoid suspiciously cheap gloves that likely lack durability.
Try out a few brands to find your preference. Consider buying just the right glove for each hand rather than forcing a matched pair.
Proper Care and Maintenance
Gloves serve you best with some periodic upkeep:
- Air them out after sessions to dissipate moisture.
- Sanitize regularly with anti-bacterial spray inside and out.
- Stiffen up the padding by stuffing gloves with towels between uses.
- Apply leather conditioner to keep genuine leather supple.
- Loosen laces before storing so the material isn’t strained.
- Hand wash synthetic gloves gently to remove grime.
Following these steps extends the lifetime of your gloves while eliminating odor issues.
Conclusion
Choosing the optimal boxing gloves for your needs requires some careful consideration. Avoid guesses based on weight alone. Measure hand size, evaluate your experience level, and identify training goals first. Test out various brands and styles for comfort, mobility and protection. Replace worn gloves regularly to maintain fist and partner safety. With the right pair, you’ll maximize both boxing performance and longevity in the ring.
