Are heavier boxing gloves better for sparring?
In the world of boxing, sparring is considered a monumental part of training because it helps fighters prepare for combat by situating them in a real-world fighting environments. But it goes without saying that your choice of gloves can highly affect both the quality of sparring and the safety of the fighter. We are often faced with the question, “Are heavier or lighter boxing gloves better for sparring?”. So let’s unpack it.
The Pros and Cons of Heavier Gloves
Pros of Heavier Gloves:
- Enhanced Protection: You’ll find that heavier boxing gloves are usually more padded because they are made to reduce the potential risk of injury to both the opponent and the fighter. By having more padding and cushioning, the boxing glove will absorb more impact, which makes it a much safer option when training.
- Strength and Endurance Training: The use of heavier boxing gloves can also provide you with a level of endurance that you can implement in your training that elevates the weight of your hands to improve your strength.
Cons of Heavier Gloves:
- Decreased Speed: Due to the additional weight in heavier boxing gloves, this can impact your speed and your ability to complete moves, combinations, and reflexes at a faster pace during training.
- Fatigue: Because heavy boxing gloves hold a lot more weight, fighting fatigue can come into play, which can impact your level of training and your capacity to withstand long training sessions.
Why are heavier boxing gloves safer?
When it comes to heavier boxing gloves, they are usually considered safer to use when sparring as their added padding and impact resistance protects the hands and wrists when training. Not only is it safer for the person fighting, but it also minimises the risk of injury to the opponent or sparring buddy. Heavy boxing glove’s all-round cushioning helps to distribute the force from every angle of impact and assists with a more meaningful punch. This makes them a much preferred choice of gloves for training where you are looking to prioritise safety and technique over speed and power.
What Type of Gloves Do Professionals Use in Fights?
Professional fighters will opt for a lighter boxing gloves when competing, as opposed to their sparring training sessions. This is due to allowing for a less safer and impactful punch, which aligns with the nature of the sport, where knockouts are a winning factor. When choosing the weight of gloves for professional competitions, it usually falls back on the regulatory stands, which they must adhere to for the fairness and safety of both the fighter and competitor.
What size glove should you buy?
When choosing the right size of boxing gloves to buy, you should always consider comfort and effectiveness in how you wish to train. You should take into account that the size of boxing gloves depends on your weight class and the nature of your training. Sparring boxing gloves range from 14oz to 18oz, which are recommended for maximum protection. You should also consider both the weight of the boxing glove and the fit, which ranges from person to person, to ensure you are offered support and protection for both your wrists and hands when training.
For 14oz-18oz gloves I would opt for the Fairtex Boxing Gloves (BGV1), Arwut Muay Thai Boxing Gloves BG1 or the Twins Boxing Gloves for Muay Thai (BGVL-3).
If you’re looking for a little bit more guidance in choosing the perfect boxing gloves for all your training and competition needs, including the top products from world-renowned brands, visit our detailed guide here.
Lastly, while heavier boxing gloves offer a range of benefits for sparring, especially for protection and minimising the risk of injury, you should always look at what you want to get out of the gloves, such as training goals, safety, and comfort.
