A simple guide on choosing the right size gloves for the right occasion.
What Size Boxing Gloves Should You Use?
I get several emails every day asking about what size boxing gloves to wear. If you’re like me, you’ll probably use one set of gloves for everything (hitting the bags, sparring). If you’re a competing boxer, you’ll have another set of gloves specifically
for fighting. The size and type of boxing gloves you use will depend on your body weight and purpose.
All Purpose Boxing Training Gloves
Just about every boxer has a pair of gloves that they use for all training purposes. When you go buy boxing gloves, you will see many different kinds advertised. The only ones you really need are TRAINING GLOVES or SPARRING GLOVES. Basically, training gloves are can be used for all types of boxing training like hitting the bags and sparring. Below are general guidelines for body-weight and size of boxing training gloves recommended.
120lbs & down (12oz or 14oz)
120lbs – 150lbs (14oz – 16oz)
150lbs – 180lbs (16oz – 20oz)
180lbs & up (18oz & up)
Sparring Gloves
Sparring gloves are basically extra-padded training gloves so that you’re not hurting your sparring opponent. Regardless of size or weight, hardly anyone ever spars with anything less than 16oz unless you’re a really small person (under 120 pounds). Theoretically, you COULD spar with 14oz gloves but then it wouldn’t prepare you for a competition fight if you compete with 16oz boxing gloves. If you weigh more than 175lbs lean muscle, you should spar with gloves no less than 18oz or 20oz. Don’t forget to watch out and make sure your opponent is not using smaller gloves than you because you will get hit harder by the unfair advantage.
Competition Boxing Gloves
These are boxing gloves you use for fighting during real competition boxing events. If you’re an amateur boxer, there is an exact size specifications that your weight class will use whether it be 12oz, 14oz, 16oz, etc. In amateur boxing, your gloves have to be approved for boxing competition (for example: in the USA, you have to wear USA Boxing approved gloves for amateur fighting). Your trainer will know the correct size and specifications required. In professional boxing matches, the gloves are usually smaller. Generally, your training/sparring gloves will be heavier and thicker than your fighting gloves.
What’s the Difference Between Size And Type
A bigger glove generally has more padding. Whenever you’re training, using a bigger glove offers your hands much better protection. If you’re beating on the heavy bag, you want the best protection possible so that you’re not damaging your hands over time. Training with a bigger glove will get you more accustomed to the weight and your hands will be faster when you use smaller size gloves during competition. Sparring gloves are usually the thickest and offer the most padding. Training gloves are a bit smaller but still very protective. Bag gloves are pretty crappy and not recommended (I rarely ever see them being used.) Amateur competition gloves have good padding while professional competition gloves have less padding so you can hurt your opponent more.
My Personal Recommendations on Boxing Gloves
Avoid Bag Gloves – I don’t see the point of them. The thin bag gloves offer your hands little protection and just makes you feel good since you’re hands move faster. It’s not good to get use to that speed since you will never fight with gloves that light.
Mexican Style Gloves – Smaller more compact fist for better damage. These are good for competition fighting but not very much padding for training. Again, I’m a big advocate on protecting your hands for longterm use inside and outside of boxing later in life. Avoid them during training if you can.
Brands Do Matter – Every brand distributes the weight across the boxing glove differently. Some offer more protection for your fist, others more protection for your wrist. A 14oz glove (Grant, Ringside, Rival) from a good company offers far more padding and protection than a 16oz glove from a crap generic company (Century, TKO).
Proper Fit – Make sure your gloves will fit you right WITH HANDWRAPS ON. Put on some hand-wraps and see if the gloves is snug around the wraps. Brands vary in size around your fist. Make sure you are able to make an easy comfortable fist inside your boxing gloves.
Final Advice – Go to a real boxing gym and try on different types of boxing gloves they have. Check out the shape, padding, and comfort. Go home and buy them online.
146 Comments
bags-wraps
great article. Remeber, there are all sorts of fits too (ie, snug fit), and gloves arent necessarily labeled that way. You must try them on to see how they fit. I have smaller hands, so a snug fit was a priority.
Also: Remember to always wrap your hands. If you don’t you might as well have someone run over your hands with a cement truck. I prefer mexican style wraps because I like how they strech and countour to my hands.
Also, good call with the companies. Grant, Ringside = good gloves.
snug fit
Thanks max!
I added the “proper fit” to the article.
Hey I was wondering how many ounces I should wear if I ever choose to spar with my friends with no head gear only amateur gloves? 10 oz 12 oz or 16 oz?? Please rely
You should wear the biggest size possible, but for the record, I don’t recommend sparring without headgear.
bag gloves
I find that every other kind of glove gets worn out after a month or two(padding gets pulverized) when hitting the heavy bag other than bag gloves.
torn up boxing gloves
Wow Josh!
What brand/model gloves were you using? One month is way too fast for any pair of brand name boxing gloves to wear out. I’ve used Title, Rival, Grant, Reyes, Ringside. None of them have torn up…. even after 2-3 years.
help with gloves
hey i weigh 130 pounds and have small hands what gloves do you think would be right for me to train with?
glove size for 130lb
I would still recommend 16 oz.
help with gloves
i wieht 140 and i use to train with 16 oz gloves for hitting the bag and mitts but to spar i use 14 oz gloves and after a while of using the 16 oz gloves it changed the way i throw hooks now im getting reyes safetech professinal gloves 10oz for hitting the bag . Using heavier gloves for training is great for somethings and bad for others. I think the weight of the gloves should relie on what type of training you are doing. What do you think about that ??
proper glove size
For sparring, the gold standard is 16oz. Well-trained guys can hit very hard even with 14oz gloves. I wouldn’t dare hit anything full force with a 14oz glove — either I hurt them really bad or I hurt my wrist really bad. Just about every gym I know uses 16oz for sparring.
Now that we’ve established 16oz to be the sparring weight, you really shouldn’t use a lighter glove since that’s not your actual sparring speed. It’s ok to use lighter gloves for a double-end bag, but for the heavy bag it’s better to have more protection for your hands. I would also recommend that you use a brand that has more padding like Ringside over a brand with less padding like Reyes.
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Training Gloves
I’ve used basically every brand of training, bag, and sparring glove. Right now I’m wearing 16oz Tri Techs by Fighting Sports (Find them at Title for $99). These are, by far, the most comfortable glove.
Prior to these, I had a pair of Ringside Mexican Style gloves (also cost $99) and used them well over 200 training sessions. They started to break down recently because I left them in my gym back, wet, in the Chicago cold a couple of times.
Johnny N, you should also mention in your article TAKE CARE OF YOUR GLOVES. Moisture is the main enemy to leather, not usage. Whipe your gloves off after use, get a deodorizing/antibacterial spray, some cedar bags or charcoal bags and take care of your gloves and they will take care of your hands.
Also, I’d advise against going cheap. Don’t buy a pair of fake-leather Everlast for $39 at Dick’s when you can go on Title and/or Ringside and find great deals on real gloves all the time.
Chris- sparring with 14oz Gloves (hopefully not Reyes) is the way to catch a beat down in the parking lot from a sparring partner who you accidentally cracked a rib on. The purpose of sparring is not to hurt your sparring partner, but to refine the techniques you’ve learned up until that point. I’m 135# and use 16oz as a minimum. If I am trying to power punch on a given day, I will wear 18oz and find a sparring partner around 180#.
Hey Rodney, I’m using the tri-tech Fighting Sports gloves, too! I was in between those and some Ringside’s but the comfortable grip inside the Fighting Sports won me over.
I’ll definitely mention your tip about moisture. Thanks for the tips.
Gloves for Women
Your article was helpful, but I was hoping you could recommend a glove for a woman with small hands. I have read everything available online, and the advice for women is limited. I am 5″3″ and 110. I need gloves for general training (heavy bag, mitt work, and cardio). I have been looking at titleboxing because they have good prices and reviews, but not sure which glove would be best for my handsize and training needs (I have my eye on the Title Gel World Training gloves but don’t know what oz!) I have asked trainers and they have told me different things. I am also not sure if the gloves listed as women’s are only listed as so because they are offered in 12 oz and have a smaller hand cage. Thanks!
Hi Cat,
For your size, I would recommend a 12oz glove. Any 12oz glove will do. You can go to 10oz if you like but I think 12oz will be good. A glove especially design for females will be built for a smaller wrist but I’m sure you’ll be fine regardless of which one you choose. Not all boxing glove companies not offer a “women’s line”.
Do you have any particular brands or models that you would recommend for general training? I’m looking for something leather and good quality that comes in a 12 oz weight. I am willing to spend a little extra for quality (I’m thinking $70 at the most). Thanks a lot–I really appreciate the insight, especially since there is less out there for women!
General training:
Ringside, Grant, Rival, Fighting.
You can buy almost all these brands at http://www.titleboxing.com
The title gel gloves are also very good.
Glove weights in sparring vs bag.
16 oz. for sparring and 10 oz. or 12 oz. for bag. i personally use 10 oz. winning gloves for bag work and 16 oz. gloves for sparring. it’s perfect. smaller and lighter gloves for bag will help with developing a nice compact stance along with accuracy and handspeed. i don’t like big gloves on bag because they cause you to punch wide. i use pro fight gloves for the bags and ONLY if they are winning gloves because the padding is near indestructible. 10 oz. on bag can help develop power because you’re using more of your own body weight to hit the bag rather than the added weight of a 16 oz. glove pushing the bag with you. i feel more tired hitting the bag with 10 oz. rather than 16 oz. because of that reason along with the fact that my muscles are moving so fast that they are getting used to that speed. you’re muscle memory will become faster with lighter gloves. i also have 3 lbs. weighted gloves for shadow boxing so i build endurance.
cat, did you buy gloves for women?
Hi Cat, I’m wondering which gloves you decided to go with and what your feedback is. I have the same issue, small hands/frame.
Thanks!
@jane – Hey Jane, in case Cat doesn’t get back to you. I want to add that the Ringside gloves 12oz or 10oz are great for females with a small frame. All the females at our gym use these adn they love them.
Bag gloves
Would have to disagree about bag gloves. You are right about the old style ones not offering enough protection but the modern ones do. My Rival bag gloves protect my hands just fine and I hear good things about other brands also. A good reason for having separate gloves for bag work and sparring is that the softer padding in sparring gloves can get worn down that much quicker if you use them for bag work as well!
gloves
16oz sparring, 12 oz bag, standard.
@David B – I agree with you completely. The new bag gloves are the real deal. I need to update this outdated post.
for an intemediate boxer (non-amateur) , what gloves would you recomend for an all-around glove (sparring, bags etc.) . looking for 16oz less than $80
I would suggest getting a TitleBoxing training glove. Sometimes the “Fighting” gloves go on sale, and those are Title’s premium brand.
confused
Hi,, I weigh 135 lbs and I’m trying to gain 5 more so Ill be ending up at 140.. Im using 10 ounce gloves now for general training. My trainer says I should use a heavier 14 ounce glove so id get stronger but i think 14 ounce will be too heavy and Ive read in some forums that you seem to punch wide when you use heavier gloves and I dont want to be in bad form.. Im thinking of getting a 12 ounce glove but im a bit confused. some say a 140 pounder should use 16 ounce, some say 14, and others 12.. Im pretty comfortable with my 10 ounce now but I do realize I should use a heavier glove in the future fpr better protection as my punches get stronger..(ive just been boxing for 2 months now.) Should I be getting a 12 ounce or 13 ounce pair? Thanks!
use a 16 for sparring to protect your partner and 10 , 12, 14 or even 16 for the bag depending on what you like
Bag Gloves
My Rival bag gloves work fine , every once and a while I might hurt my finger a little but 95% of the time i’m fine
@Ram – using 12 ounce for the heavy bag, double-end bag. Use 16 ounce for sparring. 10 ounce is too light. At many gyms I’ve been, too, all the amateurs use 16 ounce for everything. And they’re still throwing with good form, speed, power, snap.
gloves
Im a heavy weight and weigh about 15 stone 5lb but have small hands what type of glove should i use when doing bag work and pads? Ive tried 16oz and 18oz before but there uncomftable to hit the bag with. Would a pair of 10oz to 8oz be ok?
small hands mean small wrists and thats a problem
@martin
i had the same problem. its a curse to have small hands cuz its hard to find gloves that fit well but dont hurt an opponent in sparring or your own hand in heavybag work.
the higher the oz on the glove, the bigger the hand space-probably why ur feeling bothered. on the pads, something small like 10oz or even (last option) 8 oz woud be ok. but on the heavy bag, id suggest at lowest 12 oz or if u got extremely strong wrists 10oz
8oz is barely any protection to a heavy puncher if they mess up even a bit, particularly in blows like uppercuts or shovel hooks or when youre going sidewards or turning. it is so easy to mess up and sprain your wrist, even worldclass pros lose wrist posn at times.
i never went below 14 oz on the bags even though i was uncomfy, because of repeated sprained wrists. u probly wont break ur hands specially if you have dense bones but wrist ligaments can still get sprained. i suggest some stuff like punching on the bag medium power to improve wrist positioning and wushu training of punching into sand straight downwards full power. it improved the strength of my wrists to take a punch. and if i made i mistake it hurt but didnt sprain. and over time months it helps strengthen the wrist a lot. but even with all that man if u got small wrists (
@martin
i assume ur taking heavybag nor speed or double endbag. for those 8oz is ok. for the heavybag 8oz is not ok, unless u literally have hands and wrists of stone u’ll have to worry about perfect position on each punch and all that, just a pain. i suggest try it out in the store, u may be the awesome exception
but if u wanna hit all out on a heavybag, common boxing wisdom is to use a glove that will have you wanting to bust up that bag rather than busting up your hand
@martin (last time promise)
another little tip from another small fisted guy-how much do you wrap your hands ? the more you use wraps and the more amount u use, the easier gloves will feel on the front of your fist not maybe 100% snug but MUCH better with wraps rather than just without or using thin surgical tape which some guys use. gloves with laces are better than straps for small handed guys cuz u can glove up tighter (maybe its a psychological effect but i always felt better). and if youre still uncomfortable u could try looking for pro gloves made for lower weight classes theyre designed i dont think this stuff is available everywhere but i do know great featherweights and lightweights had special sparring gloves made for them, one of those product lines existed back when i fought dont know if they do now, .however those were 12 oz gloves, not ideal but they just fit the hand better than normal 12oz gloves (i used 14 and later 12, but didnt prefer those gloves cuz they were expensive). u cud check if there are special lines made after someone like pacquiao or IDK martinez or floyd those should be smaller.
reply
Hi thanks for the info. I hurt my right hand a few month go back so ive been wrapping my hands extra special. I use the long 3.5 meter stretchy wraps( mexican) i have been wrapping the base of my hand/top of wrist alot more now atleast 5 times then crossing over the back of my hand 3 times then around the knuckles 4-5 times then back of hand again 2 more times then the last bit of wrap around the wrist again about 4 wraps. I dont do it to tight either as i know this can do even more damage. Im also not a heavy hitter( if that helps) plus i come from a weight training back ground but carry a bit of fat. Ive lost bout a stone but if i carry on loosing weight i dont think id be a heavy weight i probably be a cruiserweight maybe. Thanks for ur help
Oh yeah im fine with 16oz for sparring:-)
@Martin – for sure you have to get use to those big size gloves because that’s what you’re sparring with. Sparring with 10oz ain’t cool, especially if you’re heavyweight. As for the heavybags, I think 10oz is much too light for a heavyweight. I recommend Reyes gloves if you need a smaller tighter glove. I think ProMex is pretty small too. You can also wrap your hand more but ehhh, I think the wraps would just feel weird. You can try putting a pad (like those pros use) over your knuckles and back of your hand to take up more space in the glove.
You may also want to look into women’s boxing gloves…(I’m not speaking from experience, just a thought. ):-*
Laces or hook and closure
Hello coach, waht would you recomend for a small wrist and good wrist support to hit the heavy bag. Laces gloves or Hook and closures. I’m 5’6″ 160 lbs. I want to buy the Figthing Sports Tri Tech but can’t decide if I should get laces or Hooks (velcro).
Thanks
@littlericky – laces of velcro is fine. Get 16oz if you’re going to use it for sparring, too.
18 to 20?
18 to 20oz gloves will not let you develop defense.
The gloves are simply too large for realistic defense; all you have to do is raise one of those huge gloves around eye level and no one can hit your head.
Fighters would be in for a real shock dropping from 20s to 10s for competition, I’m speaking from experience.
No heavyweight I know uses more than 16s.
The only people I’ve met that use more than 16s are guys that already had huge power & were trying to reduce injuries to sparring partners; or guys who thought the heavier gloves would give them an edge – like make them faster or make them more powerful.
The sad fact of the matter is that even a lot of 16oz gloves are designed for people with very large hands. So if you’re a big guy, with medium/average sized hands, it can be very difficult to find gloves that fit well.
@pork chop – I totally agree. I’ll have to update this article soon. 18-20 is for heavyweight SPARRING.
18oz vs 16oz
I’m a 20 year old very small little man, actually I look like im 16 lol, I sparr with bigger guys than me, I find that my 14oz gloves take away my speed when sparring, I use them to punch the bag as well, I love Ali and Leonard and I want to be as speedy as them, so I was wondering if I shoud get 16 or 18oz gloves to hit the bag with, I figure that since I will be using bigger gloves to hit the bag for a while, maybe when I spar with my 14oz then the gloves wont be so big for me after all, and I was hoping that it will increase my hand speed, I could care less about the power, I have power naturally, I have been told that im a skiiny little thing that hit likes a middle weight, so you can guess when I spar I mostley focus on speed than power, so please let me know if I should get the 16oz or the 18 oz gloves, and remember im 118 or 119 pounds, and will using those gloves make my 14oz gloves seem lighter?
@119 – handspeed is part speed, part endurance, and part mental speed. You develop your maximum speed using relaxation and power-building techniques (stretching, plyometric workouts, clapping push-ups, etc). You develop endurance using repetitive movements and SOME resistance (speed bag, light weights). You develop mental speed by throwing punches as fast as possible (shadowboxing).
Using heavy gloves fulfills almost none of those. One, the gloves are weighing down towards the ground…so it’s building your carrying muscles, not your punching muscles. The gloves are so heavy that you get tired TOO fast and don’t get a chance to build your true endurance muscles. Lastly, the punches slow your hands down so much that you don’t get to punch as fast as your brain can think. So even once you take those gloves off and you have the muscle to punch faster…your brain is not use to being able to punch so fast and your body will run out of punches to throw.
Use 12oz on the heavy bag… 14 or 16 for sparring.
plyometric workouts? can you explain what thats is, I heard of them but never knew what they were, and what type of work out should i do using them? and I use the 14.oz to hit the bag how could the 16o.z be much heavier? what do you mean my body will run out of punches to throw? you mean run out of gas? YOu said to use the 16o.z for sparring, but yet you said the gloves will be heavy and make me run out of punches? Whats the difference between using them to hit the bag and to sparr? that fact is I will still be throwing punches with them either way? so I dont get what you were trying to say? my question was that if I use the 16o.z gloves to hit the bag will they make my 14o.z gloves lighter? I forgot to mention that my gym is poor so my sparring partner may be using smaller gloves than my 14o.z gloves, that is why I would like to use my 16o.z gloves to punch the bag and use my 14o.z to sparr
Plyometrics is a type of exercise training designed to produce fast, powerful movements, generally for the purpose of improving performance in sports. Plyometric movements, in which a muscle is loaded and then contracted in rapid sequence, use the strength, elasticity and innervation of muscle and surrounding tissues to jump higher, run faster, throw farther, or hit harder, depending on the desired training goal. Plyometrics is used to increase the speed or force of muscular contractions, providing explosiveness for a variety of sport-specific activities. (copied from Wikipedia)
16oz is much heavier because boxing is an endurance workout. Imagine running 3 miles with an extra 10lbs on your back. You WILL feel the weight after having taken so many steps. When I said that you body will run out of punches to throw, I meant that your mind will not have any more punches in mind. Pretend your arms are weighed down and you can only throw 2 punches at a time. Over time, you will only get good at throwing 2-punch combinations. But if you keep your arms light, you can throw 10 punch combinations. And over time, you will develop better10-punch combinations because you got to practice them more.
Using 16oz gloves will make your 14oz gloves seem lighter, but in light of many other factors…it doesn’t guarantee you will be a better boxer for that alone.
Dear
I wanted to increase power of my punches & Arms,so my son who is 11 years,
Can you please advice that
1. Can i do heavy bag training bare hand,
2. What if do with gloves.
Regards
Gopal Sapra
919899998628
Hi Gopal,
1. I don’t recommend heavy bag training with bare hands because it’s easy to injure your wrist that way. Boxing has many arc’ed punches making it easy to bend your wrist while throwing a curved punch.
2. Yes, use boxing gloves. Even 10oz would be good for your son.
I am a female that weighs 120 pounds, just started taking boxing classes (hitting the bag & etc) My friend recommends the 16 oz kickboxing glove, but my hands are fairly small. Should i just get the 16oz or should I go for the 14 oz? Please help
Hey Ashley, 16oz is too heavy for a female 120lb. I would use 14oz at the max (for sparring, perhaps) but I think 12oz is better for you.
what type of gloves would you recommend for a 190# beginner? i tried some shitty everlast elastic cuff gloves on the heavy bag but sometimes while punching left body hooks its hard for me to see the position of my fist because the gloves are too big and bulky. what type of 16 oz gloves would you recommend for heavy bag work/Sparring ?
Get Grant or Ringside. Those are the big boy’s gloves. 16oz or 18oz is good. You don’t need to see your fist, just feel for it. Some gloves will fit better anatomically than others.
What do you think about the 16oz Pro Mex Professional Hook-and-Loop Training Gloves?
I like Pro Mex, we have them and they’re good gloves.
hey just had a question. I am about 5’10 weigh around 130 have a hand span, from base of hand to tip of middle finger of seven inches. Should an 8 oz glove work or should I get a 12.
it would be better if you email me back i need a response quick.
appreciate your time. akash nath
I would still get 16oz for sparring and 12oz or 14oz for bagwork, Akash. For competition, you use whatever size your weight class says you must use.
20 oz boxing gloves seem impossible to find johnny. where do they sell them? i send this with the utmost respect and honor
Here you go, J. http://www.ringside.com/ringside/grant-pro-sparring-gloves-12.html
Thank you. I appreciate the effort but im having financial trouble so is there another source of gloves you think?
I would buy 18oz sparring gloves from Titleboxing.com..
i weight about 180. But i was looking around and i was able to find some around my price range. thank you for that extra effort.
hi johnny what would you recommend for sparring gloves? im thinking of buying grant 16 oz sparring gloves online. do u know any sites where they sell it cheaper..im looking at the one at http://www.ringside.com for $199.99..
I’m a big fan of Ringside, highly recommended.
I am a 115lb and 5’4” woman trying boxing for the first time. I typically use the community gloves from my gym (I take kickboxing and bag classes) and was wondering what size gloves (in ounces) I should purchase. I am just planning on taking classes, not competing.
Also, I received a 12oz pair of Everlast Protex women’s gloves from a relative for Christmas today and didn’t know if those would be a good start for me! I’m not really planning on sparring – I’m mostly a runner looking for another form of exercise, especially during the winter
Those are nice gloves, Alli. They’ll be fine for you.
would you recommend boundboxing.com?
I’ve never been to that site but it looks nice!
I ordered a pair of Fighting brand 14oz training gloves. I will be using them for multipurpose, pads, light bag hitting and some sparring. I’m about 5’8 165 lbs should I switch up to 16 oz or should I stay at 14 oz? Your feed back would be greatly appreciated. I don’t know how this Website works but you can contact me through my email. e22.ortiz@gmail -Thanks-
16oz for sparring. You can use the 14oz for the other stuff.
im a 152 lbs..would you recommend cleto reyes 16 oz training gloves for sparring? thanks
You definitely could use those training gloves. I like to use softer gloves specifically made for sparring.
How do you clean your boxing gloves and keep them fresh?
Some buy the fresheners that you put in the glove after using them. I also helps to let them hang dry. I personally don’t worry about the smell, I’m use to that nastiness after training for so many years.
Hi guys,
I bought a pair of Fighting Sports Tri Tech 16oz, but my instructor said that for my build – 225lb – I can’t spar with them. I need 18oz. Two questions:
(1) Is he right?
(2) Does anyone need a pair of Fighting Sports Tri Tech 16 oz for a good discount? I did worn it once for 10 minutes. I already have training gloves
Your instructor is right. Big guys have to spar with bigger gloves or else you’ll hurt each other too bad. I’m 145lbs and I spar with 16oz. Unless they’re specifically “sparring gloves”, you can still use the 16oz for bagwork.
I’m a 150lb and seem to keep getting minor wrist sprains and sore hands with my 16 pro main event gloves, they seem to fit too loose especially around the wrist. Was thinking of getting 16oz rival rs2v sparring gloves to use for sparring and heavy bag work would these work.
I like Rival and they do fit a little tighter around the wrist than other brands.
Hi.
My son is 10 years-old and has been using the Ringside IMF 14OZ sparring gloves for sparring and a second same pair for training. I noticed Ringside offers the IMF sparring model in a “Junior Size”. I wonder if I should change to these “Junior Size’ gloves, also 14OZ. The gloves would be the same weight, but maybe easier to handle? Not so big? But, in amateur boxing, do they supply junior size gloves for kids? Please advice.
No need to change to “youth size”. In amateur boxing, the gloves they use are already small (10oz or 12oz).
I was wondering what size of boxing gloves I would be. I’m 12 years old.
You can try youth size, around 12oz. If you’re a really big kid, then get larger.
Hello, Im in need of new sparring gloves. I was using the 16oz Grants exactly like the ones at the top of this page. I love them, however I cant seem to find them anywhere. Out of stock or just not available. I hear great things about the Rival ones. I like these RS1 Pro Sparring ones. I just wanted opinions on their quality compared to either the Grants or Reyes, oh plus the difference between the “long” and “short” cuff on them. I hear the short cuff is better.
I like all of those brands, you should pick the one you like most. Everyone has their own personal preference for fit, comfort, and feel. Long cuff might be more comfortable for someone who likes to block a lot or wants a more secure wrist feeling for angled hooks. Long cuff gloves might also hit harder and feel more streamlined if the glove’s weight is more distributed towards the back. It really depends on what you like. You have to try it to know.
I would ideally like to try some gloves out before buying but I can’t seem to find a good shop where I live – London, UK. I’m 5’10, 150 lbs looking for some 16 oz sparring gloves that I can also use for a bag/pads. I have been looking at the Tritech by Fighting, but I’m also shopping to see if I can get something cheaper. Will any leather gloves by Title, Ringside, Fighting, Rival be durable enough for the bag? Are there any brands that are known to be good for my kind of weight/height? Thanks
For heavy bag, use bag gloves or training gloves. All the brands you mentioned are pretty good, I like them all. Your height and weight won’t be a factor. Sparring gloves are softer so you don’t hit your opponent too hard. You can’t use those gloves on the heavy bag because they’ll go flat really quick.
Thank you for responding. You obviously know what you’re talking about so I appreciate the advice. However, I’m not quite sure I understand all your advice from the article compared with your response to my message – You said ‘When you go buy boxing gloves, you will see many different kinds advertised. The only ones you really need are TRAINING GLOVES or SPARRING GLOVES.’ and you also said ‘Training with a bigger glove will get you more accustomed to the weight and your hands will be faster… Sparring gloves are usually the thickest and offer the most padding…’ This sounds to me like you’re recommending sparring gloves to be used on the bag. Is that not the case? If it’s not I would recommend changing the wording of the article because I’m sure other people will interpret this in the same way as me.
The Fighting Sports Tri-Tech Bag/Sparring Gloves, the gloves you mentioned having and the ones I asked about, are advertised as hybrid gloves that can do both. What do you recommend for use on the heavy bag if not these? I’ve been using bag gloves but you’ve mentioned that they’re not good. This is a genuine question as I’m fairly new to boxing. Thanks
I don’t recommend sparring gloves on the bag because they’re made softer and different kind of padding that isn’t meant for bagwork. They’re thicker and more cushion for hitting opponents.
When I said training with a bigger glove, I meant training with a heavier glove. Sorry about that confusion.
Tri-Tech gloves are great. Any all-around training glove will be fine for a beginner.
Thanks for answering my question. Just to clarify is the Tri-tech a gloves that comes under the ‘all-around’ glove type that would be suitable for sparring and bag work? Also is there a difference between training gloves and sparring gloves? Sorry for asking so many questions, it’s just there’s a lot of stuff to take in. Thanks
If they say “all around”, then it should be good for all boxing types of boxing workouts. Sparring gloves are bigger and softer for hitting opponents but they will go flat quickly if you pound them against a bag.
Hi, i am looking to get a new pair of gloves. my current pair is 12 oz and i find that my fingers hurt after hitting the mitts with the trainer. i am a bit of a hard hitter (have been told numerous times) and i was wondering whether my current gloves would be able to provide the adequate protection. I was looking to switch up to either a 14 or 16 oz pair. my hands are fairly small but but the storky kind. I am a 5ft4in female and weigh about 140 lbs. I was actually looking at TITLE GEL® Hook-and-Loop World Training Gloves or TITLE Gel® Intense Bag/Sparring Gloves but i’m kinda worried about the fit. could you give some advice? Thanks!!
14 oz will still be pretty snug. Some brands will have a tighter fit. I think Rival makes women’s gloves that fit their hands better.
so does that mean 14oz is more suited for me? I’ll go take a look at rival, but i haven’t seen anyone in the gym using that brand though, i’m asian u see..
I don’t know for sure that 14oz is more suited for you but I recommend for you to try it first. If you’re looking for more protection, bigger gloves will help slow down your punches and also give you that extra cushion.
Any input on the Hayabusa Pro 16oz gloves for heavy bag work? I’m 5′ 8″ 160lbs and have been boxing for about a year so fairly new. I’ve always used Everlast and Title gloves that the gym provides. I’m comparing these to the Tri Tech’s and possibly Rival gloves. However, there aren’t any Rival gloves to try on here. The Hayabusa’s were great for my small wrists though. I’ll just be doing heavy bag work 2x a week for a cardio workout, that’s it. Thank you.
I don’t like Hayabusa but that’s because I’ve been boxing for a lot longer and picky about different brands. But since you’re new and only doing bag work twice a week for cardio workout, it sounds like they’ll be just fine for you.
Just picked up boxing and started training at a very serious gym that produces a lot of golden glove winners and pro’s like juan diaz. I’m a big guy, 200 lbs, and need to buy gloves I can work the heavy bag with over and over without wearing them out. It would also be nice if they had a lining to help with sweat and to keep my hands cool. Where I train has no air conditiong, and no fans unless absolutely neccessary. Any suggestions?
I would guess 18oz or 20oz for you Mike. I don’t know any glove with a cool-hands feature. Maybe the fancy Everlast ones or high-end Rival gloves. I have to say that boxing has never been a comfortable sport for me. Everyone that trains hard will be completely sweating by the end of the workout.
How many ounces? 16? 18? 20?
Hi, I would like to buy a new pair of bag gloves and I am currently stuck in choosing between the following gloves. Ringside IMF tech bag gloves 14oz, ringside super bag gloves 12oz and fighting sports bag gloves 12oz. I’m 5’5 & 170lbs and currently using everlast gel protex 2 training gloves 14oz. I wasn’t punching with my knuckles when I was wearing this & I ended up using my g&s sparring gloves instead. I would appreciate if you have any recommendations on my choices. Thanks.
14oz ringside is probably fine. If you’re a beginner, stick with 14oz. for now. 12oz is probably too light for you and you risk injuring yourself if you don’t punch with perfect form.
Hey Johnny,
Would wearing 18 oz gloves for bag work improve my hand speed compared to 16 oz gloves? I’m 160lbs and I’m not sure if using the heavier gloves would work as an endurance builder or cause more harm by ruining my technique and just tiring my arms out faster. Would you even be able to tell a noticeable difference between the weight? I’m looking into the 18 oz new Title Platinum Paramount gloves to replace my rather terrible 16 oz everlast pro style gloves.
There’s definitely a noticeable difference and I would say 18oz for bag gloves is too heavy for someone your size. I would recommend 14oz gloves for the bag if you’re a beginner.
Hi…I’m a 5ft 4in female at 150+ lbs. I’ve been told by my trainer to buy 16oz gloves for sparring. When I went to purchase a pair, I was told I didn’t need anything over 12oz even for light sparring. I walked away with a pair of Twins 12oz. I’m training twice a week on the heavy bags and once a week sparring. My trainer suggested 16oz because I’m a hard hitter. Suggestions?? Thanks.
I agree with your trainer. 12oz is for bagwork or mitts. 16oz is good for sparring, and can also be used for bagwork & mitts.
help with gloves
hey i weigh 70 kg and have medium hands what gloves do you think would be right for me to train with?
Please follow the weight guide up above. See where you weigh and try the recommended size.
Question: I’m 43 (160#) and spar with 20-somethings all the time. They usually wear bag gloves; 16′s and sometimes 14′s. I wear 16oz sparring gloves and want to keep using 16′s because that’s what I (masters) use in competition but I think I’d like something with a little less padding to put some stank on my punches when I need to. Thinking about masters competition gloves or a 16oz bag glove. Thoughts?
16oz sparring gloves are the standard. For training, some guys will use lighter gloves like 12 or 14. If you want to use something else, that’s up to you.
I am 16 male weighting 110 lbs(50 kg) which size gloves will be appropriate for me i had never boxed before and i had to use the gloves for only punching punchbags my hands are not too big also tell me about how heavy punchbag should i start and a little information about hand raps please please please reply soon.
Look at the weight above and try the recommended sizes.
i also want to know can i use the punch bag for kicking
It’s usually fine but the bag can wear out faster if it’s not specifically made for kicks.
I’m completely new to boxing and everything that goes with it. I have a heavy bag that i will use mainly for it’s cardio benefits and hopefully improve my hand speed (i play basketball). So i was hoping you could recommend what kind of bag gloves to get, and what size. If possible i would really like to spend at the most $45. I’m 5’11, 180 lb. , 17 yr. old male. I’ve seen some gloves that have oz. Options or are just regular or large, so i wasn’t sure what to get. Thanks
Check the weight above and try the recommended sizes. I wouldn’t use a brand if all it offered was regular or large sizes. Get some real boxing gloves, man!
Johnny,
I am a novice boxer – really just getting started. 47 years old and 188 lbs. The gym I am training out only carries their brand and Everlast. Tired of borrowing and want to buy my own. Using them for heavy bag and sparring so basically want to buy an overall training glove if that makes sense. Can you recommend the right size – I am guessing 18 oz. Also, I read your article but can you recommend a good brand – several people have mentioned Fuel. Thanks for your help.
The recommended brands and sizes are listed above. I have never heard of Fuel and never seen them in any boxing gym so I don’t recommend them.
Also, I am lean and good shape at 188 lbs. And trying to learn “real boxing” to the best I can as opposed to a “white collar cardio workout”. Thanks again.
Hey Johnny,
Ive been boxing for only about a month now, maybe twice a week. But I plan to start training 4 times a week consistently. I’m 6’1 240 but with the training and new eating regiment I plan to drop to 220lbs. My hand circumference without wraps is 8.5 in. I’ve been using the everlast protex 14oz which I bought for about 30-40 bucks from sports authority which i thought were cool but the guys at the gym advised me to get a different pair because everlast are horrible. Im looking for some heavy bag gloves but need help deciding which ones to get. I’m stuck between getting the Rival Ultra Bag gloves 12 or 14 oz r the fighting sports tritech bag gloves 12 or 14oz. The only thing about the Rival Ultra Bag gloves is that the 14oz are for an extra large size and extra large is for 9.5-10.5 hand circumference on their page for these gloves. And like I said I’m a 8.5 hand circumference. Also I heard the fighting sports bag gloves wrist support is not good. Which ones do u recommend for me?
Fighting sports gloves will be fine, Alex. I would recommend 16oz for you because you’re a big guy. Don’t worry about the hand circumference because your hand will be bigger after putting on handwraps anyway.
Also i plan to use the heavy bag gloves on mitts as well. I plan to buy sparring gloves at a later date.
You mention you have some tri-techs by fighting. do you use this one pair for bag, pads and sparring, or do you use a dedicated pair for sparring?
I have one pair for bag work and mitts, and another pair only for sparring.
Hi Johnny, i am a male about 129lbs. I am using my 10oz winning for pad works. Do you consider that as too light? Somehow i like it better than the 12oz. What is the risk of me using the 10oz for pad works?
Another thing, have you tried or heard about the Boundboxing branded gloves. They are suppose to be hand made and is priced like around $170. I wonder if you ever heard about the brand or even tried it before?
Thanks.
My suggestions for glove size are listed above. Different people like different weights. If you use gloves that are too light, you risk wrist injury especially when you land hard punches at awkward angles. I’ve never heard of Boundboxing.
I havent read all posts closely so this may have already been covered. I also recommend buying 16oz gloves for most people for sparring. The thing you have to be careful of is too make sure the weight is mostly in padded area on the knuckles. You can buy 16 oz gloves that have the weight around the collar and are nothing more than glorified bag mitts around the knuckle area. A common mistake.
When doing heavy bag work I use thin bag mitts. My logic for this is that the impact created on my bones in my hands will strengthen them. I realise this is more suited to people who already know how to punch correctly and people who dont have any existing hand injuries. I have been doing this for 15 years and have had no problems. I also noticed that most of the people with hand injuries use big soft gloves, is this just a coincidence? Other martial arts use impact to strenghten bones and I think there is some merit to it. JN What is your opinion? Thanks
It’s true that thinner gloves can help develop bone density. But so can thicker gloves. If you beat your hands every single day, it will quickly reach a certain point where you can’t train anymore so having padded gloves will help.
Thin gloves are not a foolproof idea because many punches are landed a bad angle in boxing. You have a moving opponent, someone who keeps shifting around and even parrying down your wrists. The same thing can happen when you’re punching a bag that moves around. One unlucky hook and it’s easy to get injured. The last thing you want as a competing boxer is a hand injury before your fight day. (It would ruin all the time you spent in training.)
All the well trained boxers I’ve seen are just fine and have trained with thick gloves, thin gloves, doesn’t matter. Some people have good wrists and others don’t. If you abuse your body enough, it will fall apart no matter how well your bones are formed. At the pro level, many of them stop banging the heavy bag so hard.
Hi,
I am looking for a couple of pairs of 16oz sparring gloves. what do you think of theTuf-Wear Pro Tactic Sparring Gloves($59.99? I have been using Tuf-Wear bag gloves for two years now and I love them, they still look like new. I recently purchase two pairs of TITLE Platinum Ultimate Sparring Gloves(69.99) but I am not happy with the product, the stiching is not top quality and the inside of the glove seems to have left over lining which is unconfortable when you tied to make a fist, I am going to send them back and looking at tuf-wear. have you used Tuf-wear brand sparring gloves or what other brand glove woul you recommend at $69.00 price range?
Thank you
My favorite brands are Grant, Ringside, Rival. I’ve used Tuf-wear but didn’t enjoy them as much as the others. Ringside has some good ones in the $70 range.
Hi Johnny.
First, great site!
Reading through all the articles because I want to leave the boring weight lifting gym behind me and learn to box.
My question. I’m 6’2″ and 230 pounds (big shoulders but let’s say 20 excessive pounds) and because of my job (designer and programmer) I need gloves that protect my pretty fragile rent-earning hands. Should i go for the 18oz with more padding?
Thanks for you comments, keep up the good work!
Hello,
A short question,
I want to buy boxing gloves that I can use for bag and sparring… I weight 130 lbs, should I get 14 ounce our 16 ounce?
Thank you.
Get the 16 ounce.
Hi Johnny (or anyone who knows). I’ve used the Everlast ERGO FOAM LEATHER BAG GLOVES as well as the Ringside IMF TECH BAG GLOVES. I use hand wraps with a sponge for extra padding and yet my hands still kill, middle knuckle bruises, wah wah wah. I’m 190 lbs. and can go a bit nuts and hit hard. Any idea what glove would have to most padding or any other ideas? Never tried those gel wraps so not sure if they work.
Thanks
Gel wraps are terrible. Avoid them. I like Ringside over Everlast.
Thanks. Will avoid the gel. Would a larger size glove help? Or just extra padding or wraps inside?
Learn to wrap your hands correctly and use proper form. Better padding will not compensate for bad form.
I’m 100lbs, and I’m keen to get a pair of Rival Elite gloves but the sizing is confusing me, because on their website it says size S – 8oz, M – 10 oz, L – 12 oz? Or can I pretty much stick to 12oz with every brand?
Every brand has a different fit but generally all will fit you just fine. I wear 12oz up to 18oz with no problems.
The thinner bag gloves are good for hitting the heavybag. The larger gloves can give you a false sense of security. The thinner gloves will force the boxer to make a proper fist while hitting the bag. This is especially important for newer boxers.
Hi Johnny! I am new with boxing, from the bag to the gloves. I was hoping you could give me a recommendation about a standing Bag, and brand of gloves you may recommend. I am 21, 210, female. I had planned out playing football, but tryouts aren’t for awhile, in the meantime I need something to relief stress. Something to keep my mind from getting off track with work. I plan on attending some boxing classes if I can fit them into my schedule, but I’d still like to have my very own bag & gloves for home use. I’d appreciate your feedback, thanks for taking time out. I don’t want to go cheap, Cause I’m all about quality, but I don’t have a padded savings either. Thanks again!
For you I would recommend 16oz or even 18oz gloves. For a bag, you can use any of the standing bags that they sell at the sports good stores. It won’t be anywhere near as fun as a hanging bag though. I highly suggest that you got to a boxing gym first to get an idea of what kind of equipment you like before you buy anything. That would be a great way to maximize your savings.
Thanks for taking your time out to respond. I’ve been looking at local gyms in my area, and I definitely want to take up on your suggestion. I will even see about the hanging bag. I am all for fun when it doesn’t pertain to work. Thanks again!
Can you wash cleto reyes? I have the horse hair ones
I’ve never washed a pair of gloves so I don’t know what’s possible. I’d be seriously worried about getting moisture soaking through the gloves. That can break down the padding and make it less effective or wear out faster.
Great article Johnny! It really has helped a lot of people.
I had a question about Fairtex gloves. I know you listed your favorites and recommendations above and Fairtex is typically more for Muay Thai, but did you have any input on these type of gloves? They seem to be regarded highly by others. Since it is not a typical boxing brand perhaps you didn’t mention it. Mainly will be used for bag work and pads, but maybe some light sparring. Curious to hear how they hold up and the comfort level, etc. Thanks and again, great job!
I’m 100% pure boxer so I know absolutely nothing about Fairtex. I think you know more about them than me.