Boxing Gloves Guide

Introduction

If you are training in boxing, kickboxing or Muay Thai, then you will need a pair of boxing gloves. Boxing gloves help to protect the hands when kicking pads or heavy bags, while minimizing impact and injuries for yourself and training partners in sparring.

However, boxing gloves come in different materials, weights, designs for different occasions and sports. In order to choose the right boxing gloves, it is important to take some time to understand all these aspects.

In this guide, we will go through the different types of boxing gloves and how to pick the right high quality boxing gloves for yourself. If you want to know how to find the best boxing gloves, read on and find out.

Boxing Gloves Types

There are several different types of boxing gloves to cater for different purposes. Let’s go through the 4 main types of boxing gloves:

Training Gloves

Training gloves refer to boxing gloves suitable for everyday use in the gym for standard mitt/pad work, heavy bag training and partner drills. They are designed to provide the optimal balance between protection and performance. Training gloves usually feature hook-and-loop closure so they can be worn or removed easily.

Bag Gloves

As its name suggests, bag gloves are used for hitting heavy bags. They have less padding compared to regular training gloves to optimize for speed and emphasize on punching form. Bag gloves are more popular with professional fighters and less so with recreational combat sports practitioners.

Sparring Gloves

Sparring gloves are worn to minimize injuries during sparring practices. Heavier gloves with more padding are recommended for sparring as they are more impact-absorbent. In most gyms, sparring gloves are required to be 16oz and above in order to lower risks of sparring injuries. Boxers in the lighter weight categories can get away with 14oz gloves.

Competition Gloves

Competition gloves are boxing gloves used for competitive purposes in boxing, kickboxing, and Muay Thai. They are lighter than training gloves with less padding which lends to more impact and damage. Competition gloves weigh from 6-10oz depending on the sanctioning body and the weight division.

How to Choose the Right Boxing Gloves

Boxing gloves have come a long way since the days of padded mittens. Gear-making has gone through decades of innovation and progress. These days, the best boxing gloves offer overall hand protection, wrist support, long-lasting comfort, and durability.

In order to choose the right boxing gloves, we need to dissect them into individual components. So what are boxing gloves made of? The exterior is usually made using real or synthetic leather that is stitched together by a skilled craftsman and sewing machine. Beneath the leather, there are layers of foam padding for impact absorption, which provides protection.

High-quality foam padding retains their shape and firmness over a longer period of time. They are firm enough for impact absorption but not overly dense so they do not pack too much heat during sparring.

That is a simplified view of boxing glove design but offers insights on choosing the right boxing gloves. Real leather is often the superior option due to its durability, feel and looks. However, modern synthetic leather like microfiber is starting to give real leather a run for the money. Microfiber leather offers better affordability, good breathability, easy maintenance and anti-bacterial properties. 

A quick note on the subject of leather and maintenance, how do you clean boxing gloves? The best way to maintain your boxing gloves is to give them a wipe down of the exterior and interior right after training to remove excess moisture. This helps to keep the gloves free of bacteria and odor.

Another important element in choosing the right boxing gloves is the weight. How much do boxing gloves weigh and why does weight matter? We will cover this in the next section.

Boxing Gloves Size Charts

Boxing gloves sizes are denoted in weight (ounces) usually from 6oz to 18oz instead of general sizes (S, M, L, XL). Gloves weigh heavier from using more foam padding which offers more impact absorption Generally speaking, the heavier you are, the heavier gloves you need. This is especially critical for sparring where heavier gloves of 16oz and above are usually mandated.

For regular training such as mitts, pads or bag training, 10-14oz gloves are recommended which can also double as amateur/smoker competition gloves.

Boxing gloves size charts serve as a general guide for choosing the most suitable boxing gloves weight. Here’s a size chart to help you select your ideal boxing gloves size based on your weight and usage:

 

What Types of Boxing Gloves Do I Need?

It is not enough to get the high quality boxing gloves or even the best boxing gloves. You need the right tools for the right job. Before you head over to make your purchase, let’s learn about the different boxing glove models:

Hook-n-loop Boxing Gloves

Hook-n-loop (velcro) boxing gloves are the most common types of boxing gloves. They are easy to put on and take off, making them ideal for everyday training. Most boxing gloves use this type of closures and therefore, these are the most common ones you will find. For boxing, kickboxing, cardio kickboxing or Muay Thai, these are the gloves to go for.

Lace-Up Boxing Gloves

Lace-up boxing gloves are the same as hook-n-loop boxing gloves with the exception of the closure design. They are usually used in competitions but some combat sports practitioners like to use them for day-to-day sparring as they offer the most stability and support. The only downside to using lace-up boxing gloves is that they are hard to wear and remove, making them troublesome for everyday training.

Bag Gloves

Bag gloves are open-thumb gloves designed for hitting the heavy bags. Some professional athletes use bag gloves for bag work to work on speed and power. Bag gloves are not ideal for beginners for pad or heavy bag training as they have less padded support.

MMA Gloves

MMA gloves are lightweight gloves with open-finger design for mixed martial arts. MMA gloves typically weigh between 4 to 6 oz which means they have very little in the way of hand protection. Although MMA gloves were designed for MMA sports, there are increasingly more promotions that sanction Muay Thai fights using these lightweight gloves. For day-to-day training, MMA gloves are not the most suitable due to the inferior protection. However, for those looking to work on speed during pad work, these are a possible option to consider.

Best Boxing Gloves For Beginners

For boxing, kickboxing or Muay Thai, beginners start off by learning the basic moves and techniques. A well structured training will start off with shadow boxing, bag work and pad work at this stage. Sparring will typically commence at least a couple months later.

If you are looking for good boxing gloves for beginners, we recommend going with standard hook-and-loop boxing gloves as they are the most versatile and convenient options. The majority of boxing gloves are made in standard hook-and-loop models so there will be plenty of designs to choose from.

To choose the right size, we recommend using our size charts as a reference. Although anything from 8-14oz will work, we suggest going with 12-14oz for beginners as they offer more protection. It takes time to condition the hands for boxing so a higher weight at 12-14oz offers the right balance of protection and speed.

Another thing to look out for is wrist support. Beginners need to work on their form before throwing punches with full power. Proper wrist support helps to minimize wrist injuries when training with heavy bags. Most cheap boxing gloves usually offer very little in terms of wrist support. It is best to go with the premium fight-gear makers.

Best Boxing Gloves for Training

Boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai training generally consist of warm-up, shadow boxing, partner drills, heavy bag work, pad work, and strength training. For intermediate and more advanced boxers, training may also include sparring or clinching (for Muay Thai).

When choosing boxing gloves for everyday training, the main things to look out for are protection, durability, and ease of wearing.

Go for well-padded gloves that provide adequate hand protection and wrist support. Real leather is the best when it comes to durability but high-quality microfiber leather comes close and more affordably priced. Lastly, we recommend going for hook-and-loop gloves as they can be worn and removed easily during training. This is why lace-up gloves are not as suitable for day-to-day training even though they offer better stability.

If you will also be sparring, consider heavier gloves by using the size charts provided in the earlier section. They can double as regular training gloves as well as sparring gloves.

Yokkao gloves come in different designs and satisfy all of the properties of the best boxing gloves for training. Our boxing gloves are backed by extensive research and development, and are for all levels in training and sparring.

Best Boxing Gloves for Kids

Combat sports and martial arts are becoming increasingly popular around the world. There are more and more kids signing up for boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai classes. As their bodies are still developing, it is important that they are equipped with the right protective gear for combat sports training. If they are training in pugilistic sports, then it is important to get the best boxing gloves for kids for both safety and performance.

Martial arts training for kids involve high-impact exercises like pad work and heavy bag work. Kids may also participate in sparring and competitions. The best junior boxing gloves help to protect the hands while supporting young martial artists to achieve their full potential in the sport.

When selecting boxing gloves for kids, the same criteria applies. Look for well-padded and durable gloves, along with a proper fit for comfort and support. Most kids gloves come in hook-and-loop designs for the most convenience.

Yokkao kids gloves come in sizes from 4oz to 10oz, suitable for young and junior martial artists. Our kids gloves are made with the same dedication, high-quality materials and craftsmanship that we apply to our adult boxing gloves. Here’s a general size chart to help you select the optimal boxing gloves weight based on weight and age:

 

Best Boxing Gloves for Muay Thai

Muay Thai is a style of kickboxing that originated from Thailand around the 12th century. It was first developed for unarmed combat on the battlefields but evolved to become one of the most well-known martial arts today.

Sportive Muay Thai came about in the 16th century when Thai fighters pitted their skills against each other for glory. There were no rules or regulations and no protective gear. The sport evolved in the early 20th century when Muay Thai merged elements from boxing, introducing boxing rings, padded gloves and other rules and regulations.

Muay Thai fight gear also evolved over time as inspired by boxing. Modern Muay Thai gloves are identical with boxing gloves and are almost interchangeable. Strictly speaking, there are two main differences namely, the shape/silhouette of the gloves, padding distribution and wrist support.

Boxing gloves tend to be more streamlined with a boxy shape Muay Thai gloves are more rounded. This is due to the padding distribution. Boxing gloves feature more padding around the knuckles since this area receives the most impact. In Muay Thai gloves, the padding is more uniform. Boxing gloves also tend to have extended and stiffer cuffs for more wrist support. Muay Thai gloves typically have a shorter, more padded wrist cuff with more flexibility for clinching. 

Muay Thai gloves are more versatile in that they are suitable for both boxing and Muay Thai whereas boxing gloves are less ideal for Muay Thai training.

Yokkao gloves are designed with both boxing and Muay Thai in mind. Our gloves feature all-round multi-layered foam padding for complete protection with optimal wrist support, making them the best Muay Thai gloves in the market.