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Posted 3 years, 2 months ago

Boxing Glove Basics

The hands are the most fragile striking surface of the human body. A kick, knee or elbow all  rely on heavier, thicker bones as their to land and do damage. Positively indestructible when compared with the 28 tiny flexible bones contained in the human hand. This is an especially big problem for boxers who are relying on these fragile weapons exclusively. Not only are a boxer’s  hands in constant danger, the perfection of their craft means those 28 fragile bones in each hand are getting thrown harder than  in any other sport. What the hand lacks in sheer stopping power and durability, it more than makes up for in accuracy and coordination.

Boxing gloves have been around since people realized that skulls are harder than hands. Early examples date back almost 3000 years. They were made from strips of ox hide and resembled modern hand wraps in both use and function. Starting midway up the arm, a 30 foot strip of leather was wrapped tightly around the wrist and knuckles. They found that by gloving up, fighters could hit more and harder with less fear of an injured hand to spoil the fun.

Jack Broughton was a bare knuckle champion who dominated a decade before opening his hugely influential school. He was called “The Father of Boxing” and wrote the rule set that would govern a century of  fights. No marketing coup was quite so successful as his “mufflers”.  The first true boxing gloves were created when Jack Broughton saw a statue of an ancient Greek boxer and took note of these hand wraps. He tried to emulate them, creating his first pair of gloves out of leather and horsehair in 1747. It allowed young gentlemen the ability to spar with out the unsightly cuts and injuries that accompanied bare knuckle sparring. It attracted  young noblemen and made boxing a “Gentleman’s Sport”.

It wouldn’t be until 1889, when  John L Sullivan beat Jake Kilrain for the bare knuckle championship, that gloved boxing would finally win out in the professional ranks. Sullivan refused to take any challengers unless they fought with gloves on.  This is the beginning of modern boxing. Every champion since has worn the iconic boxing gloves. Times marches on. 

Even something as ancient and timeless as boxing gloves have changed in the last century. New technology has brought a staggering number of options for aspiring  boxers. The sheer amount of choice can be overwhelming. The classic leather and horsehair gloves are still out there. However in the modern age, the only reason to pick up a pair of those beyond historic curiosity, is for one professional fighter who wants to hurt another. Horsehair gloves are still the preferred glove for many a puncher. Problem is this makes horsehair gloves less ideal for bag work or light sparring.

Finding the perfect pair

Your average pair of boxing gloves in 2020, the type of gloves you can pop down to any big box store  and pick up, are going to be using foam padding. Foam padding  has a few benefits. Unlike horsehair which has a tendency to “settle” between the knuckles, foam padding retains its shape and consistency. This ensures that there is always something in between your knuckles and whatever you are hitting. Giving your hand better protection. Almost all boxing gloves have some layering of foam nowadays because nothing protects the hand better.

A second major difference in gloves has been the invention of Velcro. For hundreds of years boxing gloves were laced up like a pair of shoes. Tying the gloves with laces secures it to the wrist and hand, ensuring a snug and proper fit. We’ll talk about fit in a second, but the biggest difference between lace and Velcro has become exaggerated in past year. Since Covid hit many gyms are shut down, meaning most people looking for gloves in 2020 are training alone. So unless you have the patience of a saint, or a consistent training partner willing to tie your gloves, Velcro is the way to go while training in quarantine.

The reason that  people prefer lace ups are their better fit. Getting a good fit on your gloves is essential for them to do their job properly. The big drawback of Velcro is it only affixes the glove to the wrist with a small anchor point. There is little else to keep the glove on tight. Unlike the lace ups which  often cinch up tightly as high as the mid palm. This gives a much tighter fit which gives better protection and transfers power better. But if you’ve ever tried to lace up a glove, with one hand already in a glove, you’ll understand why  the convenience of Velcro is worth it for all but the elite. A good pair of hand wraps will mitigate most of the issues of Velcro anyway.

A survey of the UK found that women account for a quarter of people training boxing monthly. Some might think a glove is just a just glove right? In keeping with the theme of proper fit it’s important to note that the bone structure of women’s hands tends to be more slender. This means that the inside of a women’s glove is going to be much smaller  than a typical man’s glove. Usually with extra padding focused around the knuckles to protect all 56 of those even tinier more flexible bones in a woman’s hands. While Anne Wolfe or Clarissa Shields might be best served by a pair of the old horse-hairs, protecting your hands should be top priority on a day to day basis.

Size does Matter

Then comes the issue of glove weight. Professionals who fight above 147lbs use 10 oz gloves to fight in. For the most part actual fight gloves are always brand new, out of the box, to prevent any sort of tampering. But unless you are stepping through the ropes in front of a crowd, you are probably better served with something that offers your hands a bit more protection. As with everything else your personal comfort is paramount.

Generally speaking the weight of the gloves you want is going to vary depending on your training activities. If you are sparring than 12 to 14oz gloves are best since these do an excellent job of simulating the dimensions of the weight of fight gloves while offering a bit more protection than the real thing.  You can also these smaller gloves for most workouts that don’t involve super high impact. A pair of 12 oz gloves can add a bit more weight to a fighters hands which can bump up the intensity on low impact training. These are perfect for shadowboxing and working the speed or double end bag.

However if you want to hit something as hard as you can, you are going to need some heavier gloves. The heavy bag is perfect tool for a boxer to develop their power, combinations and footwork. Everyone loves the sound and the fury and satisfaction of hitting the bag as hard possible. This carries a danger with it. If you are new to boxing, never hit a heavy bag without 2 things. A pair of hands wrapped by somebody who knows what they are doing and a pair of gloves that are 16oz or larger.

The heavy bag is there to absorb all the power a fighter can muster. How ever your knuckles and wrists are decidedly NOT created to transfer that power safely. This makes it one of the more common causes of injuries to hands. Kinked wrists and jammed thumbs are fairly common in beginners on the heavy bag. Having a bigger pair of gloves for the heavy bag is essential to ensure your safety. Be it boxer or dentist or ditch digger. Most people make a living with their hands. It’s worth investing in the extra protection. A good pair of gloves can save a lot of pain and lost wages.

If you can only afford one pair of boxing gloves getting the heavier option is generally best. Since you can use the 16oz gloves for all the same things. In fact using super heavy gloves can offer added resistance your shoulder endurance and hand speed workout. Feel like the speed bag is getting too easy? Hit it in a pair 16oz gloves.  Throwing on this extra weight brings a new level of challenge to the speed bag since your shoulder has to move another extra pound. The larger striking surface can also make the double end bag a bit easier for those not used to it. They offer most protection for hitting things like the  bags or sparring partners alike.

Brand Envy

Then comes the dizzying question of what brand of gloves you should look at. As always it comes down to a question of  how intensely they are used and budget constraints. The most basic utility gloves are Everlast. They have been a big name in boxing equipment forever. These gloves tend to be a bit easier on the budget with the most basic pairs costing as little as 30$. As with everything you get what you pay for. Don’t expect to go ham on the heavy bag everyday and have your gloves and hands hold up well unless you carefully control yourself. That said if you are into cardio kickboxing, or just want to have some gloves on for shadowboxing, nothing wrong with a pair of these beaters.

That said Everlast has several upmarket offerings including the MX series which is still revered as one of the most protective glove options out there. It’s not uncommon to see them on professionals. They are still fairly light on the budget for their quality too. It gets crowded in the mid-range of gloves with the MX series up against stiff competition from Cleto Reyes, Hayabusa and Winning all of whom make excellent gloves in the 150$ price range.

At the very top end of the price range is the Grant boxing gloves. A set of these will set you back at least 500$ if you can even find a pair. Scarcity is an issue with these for a reason. They offer unparalleled protection of a fighters hands. After he was plagued by early career hand injuries Floyd Mayweather insists on them. They are the peak in quality craftsmanship and cutting edge technology to protect a fighters money makers.

For those of you who hate him, Manny prefers his  horsehair Cleto Reyes. Ultimately buy the boxing gloves that feel right. Like any other piece of clothing or protective gear. Like any sport there is an inherent danger to boxing. Unlike many sports, danger is feature of fighting rather than a bug. All you have to protect yourself is you. A certain set of skills. And with a little luck and looking, the perfect pair of boxing gloves.

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