Why are Boxing Gloves in OZ? 

Boxing Gloves are an essential piece of boxing equipment. They are an integral part of your boxing kit irrespective of your chosen discipline like MMA, Heavy Bag Training, Sparring, Muay Thai, etc. In addition, they are the protective gear required for all kinds of combat sports. However, your problem does not end here. It is the point where it begins.

You do not require just any boxing glove but the glove that fulfills all your requirements. For example, if you are carrying out Heavy Bag Training, you need a bag glove that protects your knuckles from injuries against a heavy bag. Similarly, for sparring, you should buy gloves that protect you and your partner. Besides considering these sport-inclined parameters, one also needs to consider an important parameter – the weight of the boxing gloves. 

Boxing gloves are measured by weight and not by size. Generally, the boxing gloves come in 6 oz to 16 oz sizes. However, every brand recommends a particular boxing glove size for a human of a certain height and weight range, making it easier for you to choose the right boxing glove.

Let us further understand the measurement parameters of the boxing gloves – why are boxing gloves in oz? why are boxing gloves not measured by size?. In this article, we’ve covered everything related to boxing gloves size. 

Why are boxing gloves in oz? 

You must have come across a pair of boxing gloves and found out that their size is usually labeled in weight like 12 oz, 16 oz, etc. The weight mentioned is the physical weight of each glove, not the combined weight of both gloves. Thus, a 12 oz boxing glove will have two gloves, with each hand glove weighing close to 12 ounces.

The weight of the boxing glove refers to the padding between your fist and the training bag (opponent in case of sparring). Thus, it is a measure of cushioning your boxing gloves’ fist.

It would be best if you had more or less padded gloves, depending on what you are doing. For instance, if you are hitting heavy bags, a thinly padded glove will do, but if you are sparring or practicing with another person, you will need heavy gloves which are more padded. Thus, a glove is heavier because of more padding, and it provides extra protection to you and your opponent.

The weight of a glove increases by 2 ounces. Increasing weight refers to increased cushioning. A glove cushioning determines for which activity you can use it. Listed below are the weights of boxing gloves in oz:

1. 8 oz – Suitable for children’s
2. 10 oz – Suitable for light pad work because of the thin padding
3. 12 oz – Suitable for bag and pad work because of slightly more padding
4. 14 oz – All-round glove used for pad and bag work as well as light sparring
5. 16 oz – Protective glove used for pad and bag work and hand sparring

Every brand has different guidelines. Therefore, you must refer to the brand’s policies before selecting your glove for specific work.

Why are boxing gloves not measured by size?

Choosing boxing gloves by weight is a little strange, but practically it is the correct way to know how much protection or padding a glove offers. Of course, the padding requirement varies with what you are doing. For example, if you are sparring or carrying out heavy bag training, you need a glove with more padding to protect your knuckles from unnecessary injury. Thus, a heavier glove is more padded compared to the lighter one. 

Hand sizes of boxing gloves are pretty universal; hence your hands can fit into any adult-sized boxing gloves. Because of universal sizes boxing gloves are not measured by size.

A higher-weight boxing glove has extra padding and is comparatively larger. Thus, a heavier glove is suitable and comfortable for adults with large hands. 

Different fit comforts different people, and some manufacturers design their gloves to fit slightly differently. Thus, before buying a boxing glove, go over the size chart to know how that brand’s glove fits. 

Why is boxing gloves weight important?

As you are aware, boxing gloves are measured by ounces rather than size. An ounce represents the resistance and the weight a glove provides a boxer carrying out various combat activities.

A lighter boxing glove of around 10 oz is a small and more lightweight build, whereas a heavier boxing glove, say of approximately 16 oz, has a more extensive and bulkier build. 

A lighter boxing glove makes your hand more prone to injuries during heavy bag training or sparring. However, they are suitable for beginners for light pad work. Thus, weight plays a vital role in choosing the right boxing glove.

Role of an ounce in choosing a boxing glove

Boxing gloves are measured in weight, and the main unit of measurement is an ounce. An ounce of a boxing glove determines the target activity of the boxing glove. More importantly, it is a unit of classification of boxing gloves for different activities.

A 10 oz boxing glove throws fast and hard punches compared to a 16 oz boxing glove. As a result, a boxer feels less fatigued using a 10 oz boxing glove to deliver punches. However, it also means that it comes with minimal padding and is unsuitable for heavy bag training or sparring as it cannot protect your knuckles against profound impact.

On the other hand, a 16 oz boxing glove throws comparatively slow punches because of the weight, the bulk, and the resistance to the boxer. Thus, a fighter using heavy gloves may feel fatigued soon. However, their hands are way safer and will have fewer chances of injury.

An ounce higher delivers higher protection but is more fatiguing.

Different sizes of boxing gloves

Boxing Gloves come in six sizes. The details of each size are mentioned below.

1. 6 oz

6 oz is the smallest size of boxing gloves and is usually recommended for youth or children under 100 lbs.

2. 8 oz

8 oz boxing gloves are mainly used for competition and fighting and are recommended for those weighing up to 110 lbs. They are small for adult hands and are reserved only for full-contact fights and tournaments. 8 oz is primarily popular among youths and women. Besides, 8 oz is famous in Thailand’s stadiums competition.   

3. 10 oz

10 oz gloves are the smallest practical adult glove and are preferred for hitting pads with the coach. They are more appropriate for someone with smaller hands looking to master the techniques. These gloves are thinly padded and are recommended for light pad work.

4. 12 oz

12 oz boxing gloves are very common for light sparring and pads. They are best suitable for drilling with your training partner. Besides, they are considered the best all-around training gloves for those confused about which size to buy. 

5. 14 oz

The most common use of 14 oz boxing gloves is sparring. They are also considered the best all-rounder gloves. 14 oz boxing gloves are slightly lighter than 16 oz and are best suitable for hitting pads and heavy bags. Besides, they do not tire your arms much while striking pads.

6. 16 oz

16 oz boxing gloves are mainly used for heavy sparring. Also, if you have big hands, weigh over 80 kg, or are hit hard, they provide the best protection and ensure your partner’s safety. 16 oz boxing gloves are big and best boxing gloves for big hands because of the wider padding area. They are most recommended for sparring and also deliver good work with pads. 

5 Types of boxing gloves

Boxing gloves are essential equipment for combat sports. However, from the above, it is clear that they are measured in weight. Therefore, the weight of a boxing glove determines its usage. There are five types of boxing gloves classified based on their use. 

1. Training/Bag Gloves

Training or Bag Gloves are typical all-around boxing gloves. They are built for pad and bag work but are versatile and used in any training. Therefore, they are widely used for all purposes. However, not all general-purpose gloves are training boxing gloves and are often referred to as boxing gloves.

2. Sparring Gloves

The aim of sparring boxing gloves is to protect you and your sparring partner from injuries. In addition, they prevent you from knocking out your partner while sparring. Generally, you can use any pair of boxing gloves for sparring, but some brands sell sparring-specific gloves optimized for the activity. 

Sparring gloves are very similar to training gloves. However, their padding is softer or cushioned and is better distributed to lessen the impact’s sharpness. Usually, 14 oz or above gloves are used for sparring, depending on the body weight.

3. Amateur Competition Gloves

Amateur boxing competitions use a specific glove style that promoters provide to fighters for promotion. They are usually blue or red-colored, depending on the fighter’s corner. In addition, the gloves’ knuckle area is highlighted, making it more explicit for judges to score the fight.

4. Professional Gloves

Professional gloves are mainly used for competing. As the name suggests, they are built for professional competition and tend to sacrifice hand protection and comfort for maximizing offense. The padding is quite firm, making gloves smaller and compact. These gloves are designed to deliver a sharp blow with each punch and are unsuitable for regular training outside competition. Professional gloves usually come in 8 oz or 10 oz and have lace-up closure.

5. Muay Thai Gloves

Muay Thai is a different sport whose boxing gloves are developed differently. Its gloves are versatile as required by kickboxers. They are usually manufactured in Thailand and have extra padding down the palm’s side. The Muay Thai gloves have a more distributed padding to protect the hand’s back adequately. Besides, they offer good grip flexibility, allowing the palm to open more for catching kicks.

Choose the correct oz boxing gloves for you

Boxing gloves come in different weights ranging from 8 oz to 16 oz. Every size corresponds to a particular purpose. So it would be best if you chose the boxing glove based on the purpose you require it, whether it is sparring, heavy bag training, or light pad work. 

Do not choose a lightweight boxing glove for sparring. Lightweight boxing gloves come with light padding and can cause injuries if used for sparring or heavy bag training. Similarly, using a heavy boxing glove for light pad work can tire you early, and you may not be able to practice much.

Besides, it would be best to choose boxing gloves based on weight and age. Many brands provide size recommendation charts for specific weight ranges. This way, you can select the best suitable boxing glove for you. Hence, refer to the manufacturer’s manual before deciding on the boxing glove.

Best boxing gloves for beginners

Entering the boxing world might be demanding as you must choose suitable boxing gloves without weighing heavily on your pockets. There are many boxing gloves available in the market, but if you have just picked up boxing, we recommend you to go for the following.

1. Sanabul Essential Gel Boxing Gloves

Sanabul Essentials Gel Boxing Gloves are the best affordable boxing gloves for beginners. The gloves come with gel-infused padding that can take the hardest hits. Besides, the gloves’ longitudinal arch design fits well with the hands as soon as you put them on.

2. Twins Special Boxing Gloves

Twins Special boxing gloves are excellent for beginners. Handmade in Thailand from the best quality material, Twins Special boxing gloves are made with care and are very durable. The skilfully shaped multi-layer foam protects the boxers’ hands from huge impacts. Besides, the velcro wrist strap supports the hand and renders good wrist support.

Best boxing gloves for pro boxers

Boxers use gloves with less knuckle padding, designed with a fight in mind. They are built to make the opponent feel each strike. Boxer’s boxing gloves are categorized into two competition levels – Professional and Amateur. Each level has specific sizing, with amateur gloves a little more regulated due to strict rules at this level. 

1. Everlast Boxing Gloves 

Everlast Boxing Gloves are the first that strikes people’s minds when it comes to boxing. They have been in this field for over 100 years and are known for making high-quality pro-fight gloves. Their products offer better construction and provide a nice balance between punching power and protection. Top fighters who wear Everlast boxing gloves are Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Miguel Cotto, Nonito Donaire, and Brandon Rios. 

2. Cleto Reyes 

This is another top brand preferred by boxers. They make the utmost quality gloves in Mexico by hand and deliver an incredible and natural feel. Cleto Reyes gloves are the puncher’s gloves because of the less padding over knuckles than other gloves. Cleto Reyes gloves are very soft and deliver more punching power but have less hand protection. Some famous fighters who use Cleto Reyes gloves are Juan Manuel Marquez, Amir Khan, Kelly Pavlik, and Marcos Maidana.

Best Boxing Gloves for Sparring

Sparring requires a boxer to wear heavy boxing gloves. Usually, gloves of 14 oz or higher are preferred for sparring. While sparring, a fighter must protect himself and his partner from injuries. Thus, heavy-weight boxing gloves have optimum padding that protects both and delivers severe blows. The best suitable gloves for sparring are mentioned below.

1. Hayabusa T3 Boxing Gloves

Hayabusa T3 Boxing gloves are best for sparring. It is made of vylar engineered leather and has double straps and a splinting system for wrist protection. Its multiple-layer foam absorbs impacts and protects you and your partner from some severe blows. Its inner linings keep the hands cool and wipe off your sweat. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Weight is vital in determining the correct boxing glove for various purposes. In addition, a boxing glove’s weight is critical in deciding which gloves are best suited for the activity. To choose the right boxing glove, refer to the brand’s guidelines for suitable weight for different activities and choose accordingly. For example, if you select a lightweight glove for heavy bag training or sparring, you may get injured, or if you choose a heavy weight for light pad training, you may get tired quite early. Hence, ensure selecting the right weight glove for your activity.