Welcome Warriors! Today we’re talking boxing gloves!
Boxing gloves are a necessity for when you’re training to be a boxer. They provide protection for your hands, wrists and knuckles when you’re punching on a bag or your opponent.
For a long time I was confused about how sizing boxing gloves works. Is it based on hand size? Is it based on your weight class? Or is it something else?
While you’re on the hunt for a pair of boxing gloves, you should consider the following:
- What are your goals for Boxing? Do you intend on just training in your spare time, or are you serious about starting a career as a Boxer?
- The different types of Boxing gloves: There are 4 different types, all with different purposes. Bag, training, sparring, and competition. They depend on what you want to accomplish with boxing. Whether you’re in it for the fitness, or for the fighting.
- How sizing your gloves works: The way gloves are sized varies depending on the type of gloves, your height, your weight class, and your hand size.
Note: I am not an expert in the sport of boxing, I am a beginner on a fitness journey who is using boxing to train on top of my normal weight training. So I will tell you what I know and what I learned on my boxing whereabouts.
What Kind of Boxing Gloves do you Need?
The first thing to consider is what your goals are for Boxing, which will determine what kind of Boxing gloves you will need. Do you intend on using them for training on the punching bag? Do you plan using them for sparring with a partner? Or are you about to get in the ring and fight with another boxer? There are all different kinds of boxing gloves specifically designed for each activity.
Dick’s Sporting Goods has some pointers on how you can determine what size and what type of gloves you need. They suggest that your gloves have a snug fit around your hand.
The different kinds of gloves have varying weight and materials which they are made of, depending on what they are designed for. Here is their guide on how to pick the gloves that are right for you: How to Choose the Right Size Boxing Gloves – Dick’s Pro Tips
Types of Boxing Gloves
- BAG GLOVES: They are designed specifically to be used with heavy bags and speed bags. They have less padding inside so that users can feel the impact of their punches more.
- TRAINING GLOVES: Training gloves are designed to be multi-purpose gloves, meaning they can be used on the bags and in sparring. They have a decent amount of padding inside for protection for your hands. They are a great choice for beginners.
- SPARRING GLOVES: Sparring gloves are designed only for sparring. They weigh more than training gloves because they have extra padding inside to protect not only you, but your opponent as well.
- COMPETITION GLOVES: These gloves are specifically designed for exhibition fights in the ring. They have less padding so that your opponent can feel the impact of your punches. Amateur level boxing gloves have white knuckles so that judges can keep track of the boxers’ scores. Professional boxing gloves do not have white knuckles, they are usually one solid color.
How Sizing Your Gloves Works
According to Dick’s, sizing boxing gloves depends on 2 things: weight class and hand size. Gloves are measured in ounces.
For Amateur boxing, gloves come in 3 different sizes:
- 10 oz. = 141 pounds and under
- 12 oz. = 152 – 201 pounds
- 16 oz. = Age 41 and older
As for Professional boxing, gloves come in 2 sizes:
- 8 oz. = 147 (Welterweight) pounds and under
- 10 oz. = 154 (Super Welterweight) pounds and over
With training gloves, they are measured in 2 different size charts. The first chart measures the weight of the gloves according to the boxers’ body weight. The first training glove size chart is as follows:
- 6 oz. – 8 oz. = 100 pounds and under
- 8 oz. – 12 oz. = 100 – 150 pounds
- 12 oz. – 16 oz. = 150 – 175 pounds
- 16 oz. – 20 oz. = 175 pounds and over
The second training glove size chart measures the weight of the gloves according to the boxers’ hand circumference, in inches. (To find the circumference of your hand, measure around your hand just below the knuckles) The second chart looks like this:
- 6 oz. – 10 oz. = 5.5 – 6.5 inches
- 10 oz. – 12 0z. = 6.5 – 7.5 inches
- 12 oz. – 14 oz. = 7.5 – 8.5 inches
- 14 oz. – 16 oz. = 8.5 – 9.5 inches
- 16 oz. – 20 oz. = 9.5 inches and over
My Experience
The boxing gloves that I own is the Everlast Elite Training Gloves, 16 oz, in black. I got them at my local Academy earlier this year. On the packaging for the gloves, Everlast has a sizing chart that is a little different than the others I mentioned earlier.
The packaging also says that the gloves are designed for heavy bag training, boxing workouts, and mitt work with a trainer. They were about $45, which is not bad for a pair of boxing gloves, if you ask me.
As for the Everlast sizing chart, they measure the gloves according to the boxers’ height and weight. It looks like this: Size Chart – Everlast
Everlast Size Chart
- 12 oz. = 5’5″ and under, 140 pounds and under
- 14 oz. = 5’5″ – 5’8″, 140 – 160 pounds
- 16 oz. = 5’8″ – 6′, 160 – 180 pounds
I am 6’2″ and 220 pounds, so I went with the 16 oz. size. They are very comfortable, snug, and have good, thick padding on the inside. Personally, I would highly recommend them if you’re just starting out.
I would also recommend checking out some of the boxing gloves at Title Boxing. I do not have any gloves from Title Boxing yet, but I do intend on getting a pair very so0n, to have an extra pair of boxing gloves and I’ll be able to share my experience with them when I do have them in my arsenal.
As for the size chart for Title Boxing, you can find it here: Boxing Glove Size Chart. They measure gloves according to your weight and the circumference of your hand (how long your hand measures all the way around).
Title Boxing Size Chart
BAG GLOVES
- 6 – 8 oz. (Youth) = 5″ – 6″, 100 pounds and under
- 10 – 12 oz. (Regular) = 6″ – 7 1/2″, 101 – 150 pounds
- 14 oz. (Large) = 7 1/4″ – 8 1/2″, 151 – 175 pounds
- 16 – 18 oz. (Large) = 8 1/4″ – 9 3/4″, 175 pounds and over
TRAINING/SPARRING GLOVES
- 8 – 12 oz. = 5″ – 6″, 100 pounds and under
- 12 – 14 oz. = 6″ – 7 1/2″, 101 – 150 pounds
- 14 – 16 oz. = 7 1/4″ – 8 1/2″, 151 – 175 pounds
- 16 – 18 oz. = 8 1/4″ – 9 3/4″, 175 pounds and over
PROFESSIONAL COMPETITION GLOVES
- 8 oz. = 146 pounds and under
- 10 oz. 147 pounds and over
AMATEUR COMPETITION GLOVES
- 10 oz. = 141 pounds and under
- 12 oz. = 152 pounds and over
- 16 oz. = Masters Division (Age 41 and up)
Closing Words
So today you learned how sizing boxing gloves works, so that you will know what size gloves you need, and you also learned the ropes (pun intended) on the different kinds of boxing gloves, depending on what you want to do with boxing.
Let me know what your thoughts are in the comments! If you have any recommendations of boxing brands for me to try out, let me know in the comments! I’m always eager to try new things, as I am a beginner in boxing on a fitness journey! Let’s get gloved and ready to GO INTO BATTLE!