The Complete Guide to Boxing Gloves

Boxing gloves are an essential piece of equipment for anyone who trains as an amateur or competes as a professional in the sport of boxing. Making sure you are wearing a good pair of boxing gloves that will not only protect your hands and wrists but improves your overall performance in and out of the ring. I’ll dive deep into taking a closer look into everything you need to know about boxing, such as the types of boxing gloves, sizes in ounces and the pros and cons of laces VS velcro closures. We’ll also run through some ways to take the best care of your gloves using deodorisers and inserts so that your gloves can stand the test of time. 

What types of boxing gloves are there?

Bag Gloves
Bag gloves are one of the most basic types of boxing gloves and they are designed to use on more heavier boxing bags and speed bags. They’ll usually have less padding than other types of boxing gloves, which in hindsight allow you to give better feedback and a faster punch.
For bag gloves we recommend our Adidas Hybrid 50 Boxing Gloves, Pro Bag Busters Commercial – Bag Boxing Mitts - Punch Equipment & Adidas Speed Tilt 150 Training Glove – Grey Black Green.

Sparring Gloves
Sparring gloves are generally used when you’re training by yourself or sparring with a partner. Sparring gloves have much more padding as apposed to bag gloves and they are designed to protect not only yourself, but the partner you are sparring with to avoid injury.
For sparring gloves we recommend our Trophy Getters Boxing Gloves by Punch Equipment, Fairtex Microfiber Lightweight Boxing Gloves (BGV14) and Punch Mexican Fuerte Elite Boxing Gloves

Competition Gloves
Competition gloves are the gloves that are recommended to be used during actual boxing matches. They are specifically designed to provide the best feedback and overall range in motion, giving you the best chance of striking your opponent and making it count.
For competition gloves we recommend our Adidas Adispeed Professional Boxing Glove With Strap and Twins Boxing Gloves for Muay Thai (BGVL-3)

Boxing Glove Sizes (oz)
You probably always see ‘oz’ when looking at boxing gloves sizes, but do you actually know what it means?
Boxing gloves usually get measured in ounces (oz), which is generally an American measurement metric, but essentially it just refers to the weight of each glove. You should choose your oz size based one your body weight, skill level and what kind of training you are doing. 
Beginners: usually opt for10-12 oz gloves
Intermediate: opt for 14-16 oz gloves
Advanced: will typically use 18-20 oz gloves.

Lace Boxing Gloves VS Velcro Boxing Gloves
Typically boxing gloves are available in both lace and velcro alternatives. That’s because each have pros and cons. 

Lace boxing gloves have a more custom fit which is seen as more important to anyone doing competitive boxing. The lace fitting also means they are less likely to come off during a match, sparring and training but the downfall is that they will take longer to remove and sometimes require someone else to remove them for you.
The solution to wearing lace up gloves when no one is there to help you take them off is the Lace N Loop Boxing Glove Strap which is designed to enable a lace up boxing glove wearer to lace up their own gloves without help from another person.
For a great pair of lace up gloves we recommend the Cleto Reyes Training Boxing Gloves with Laces, and TROPHY GETTERS® LACE UP BOXING FIGHT GLOVES 8oz.

Velcro boxing gloves are drastically easier to take off which is a massive advantage when training as you don’t need assistance removing them. They are also less expensive than lace ups, however their cons are that they might not give you that custom fitting and have the potential to come undone during matches and training.
We recommend the Fairtex Boxing Gloves (BGV1), Top King "Snake" Boxing Gloves and Arwut Muay Thai Boxing Gloves BG1.

How do you take care of your boxing gloves?

Deodorises
Taking care of your boxing gloves are essential to the longevity of your boxing gloves. One of the biggest reasons people buy new boxing gloves is due to the odour that is causes over time through excessive sweat and a build up of bacteria. To prevent this and increase the lifespan of your gloves it is recommended to use deodorises which are specially used to help absorb moisture as well as neutralise odours. From our range we recommend the range of Punch deodorises: No Stink Sports Glove Deodoriser, No Stink Sports Deodoriser XL and No Stink Sports Glove Unscented Deodoriser.

Glove Inserts
Another way you can take care of your gloves is by using glove inserts to absorb moisture from your hands and wrists and prevent any bacteria from building up inside the gloves. They also help with keeping the shape of your gloves over time, which in return means that they will last longer.
We recommend the Cotton Inners by Punch V30 - Single or a bulk buy of the Cotton Inners by Punch V30 - Bulk Pack 10 pairs. 
It’s super important to let your gloves air outside after each use, as it will prevent any kind of moisture and bacteria buildup and extend the life of your gloves drastically.

Lastly, when using something like boxing gloves it’s important to understand the different parts of the product so that you are using it to it full capacity. Knowing the different types of boxing gloves there are, what size you need and how you can take care of your gloves are a great practice to have when training in the sport of boxing. They will not only make you a more educated boxer but will ensure you are doing all the right things to be the best in the game.