This ultimate guide will cover what boxing gloves size you should get.
Specifically, I will explain the sizes of boxing gloves and explore what size to get depending on the type of training and who you are.
When stepping into the world of boxing, one of the most critical decisions you’ll make is choosing the right pair of boxing gloves.
This seems like an easy and basic task…
Dive into the universe of boxing and you will realise many different sizes and types of boxing gloves exist for different purposes.
Worry not—by the time you read this article, you’ll have complete knowledge of what boxing gloves size you should get for specific boxing training!
Before we explain what glove sizes you should get, let’s start with the basics.
Allow me to introduce you to the boxing metrics system.
We often associate size with distance.
But in the world of boxing gloves, size is actually a measure of weight—specifically in ounces.
This weight is a crucial determinant of the level of cushioning your fists receive during boxing training, sparring, and competition.
Boxing glove weight is measured in ounces (or abbreviated as oz), with common sizes ranging from 6 oz to 24 ounces.
However, the standard weight options are typically 12, 14, and 16 ounces.
In general, the heavier the glove the more protection it offers!
A heavier glove features more padding, providing enhanced protection for your fists, knuckles, and wrists. This is particularly important to minimize the risk of injuries during intense training for your upcoming competitive bouts.
The lighter the glove, the faster and the more accurate you can hit.
Lighter gloves, such as 12-ounce options, are well-suited for practice sessions. With less padding, you can experience a closer connection to your punches, enabling you to refine your technique and precision.
Also, you’re able to throw more punches and so you’re able to refine your technique.
So, the short version.
Get heavier gloves for better fist protection and to train conditioning.
Get lighter gloves if you want to focus on refining your punching technique and precision.
Let’s now go into the specifics.
Aside from preferences, boxing gloves’ size correlated with your own weight and size.
Of course, the bigger and heavier you are, the harder you hit and the bigger the strain on your fists.
So in general, the heavier you are, the heavier gloves you should use!
These are some general guidelines to follow.
These are for male boxers.
Follow these if you are a youth boxer or a female boxer.
Here’s important information about the glove sizes—the number label on the gloves is the weight of each individual glove, not the combined weight of the pair!
Let’s dig deeper and analyse what boxing glove sizes to get for different purposes.
I will introduce you to five types of boxing gloves and their sizes.
Specifically, I’ll analyse their key features, advantages and disadvantages, and give you my personal recommendation on what to get based on years of boxing experience using them.
Main feature: versatility
If you want to buy boxing gloves and use them for any type of boxing training, the safest bet is to go for 12-16 oz sized training gloves.
Training gloves are the workhorses of boxing gear.
Ranging from 12 to 16 ounces, they strike a balance between protection and speed.
They tend to be not too stiff in padding, but not too soft as in feel like pillows.
These gloves are suitable for a variety of training activities, from bag work to mitts and light sparring.
The added padding ensures better hand and wrist protection, making them an ideal choice for those who engage in various training routines.
If those gloves were a political party, they would truly deserve the title of ‘catch-all-party’.
They are sort for everyone!
After years of boxing training, a good pair of training gloves is truly the only one you’ll ever need if you can’t spare some cash to invest in equipment.
Can’t go wrong and the best choice if you are starting your journey with boxing.
TITLE Boxing Gloves
4/5
Main feature: Fist protection
These boxing gloves are specifically designed for use during heavy bag training and as you become more advanced, 8-16 oz bag gloves could be your next purchase!
These have stiffer padding compared to training gloves and so are NOT suited for sparring.
There are two types of bag glove sizes.
The 8 – 12 oz sized boxing gloves are best suited to focus on lightness, technique, and speed.
The 14 – 16 oz sized boxing gloves are best for improving boxing endurance and conditioning on the bag.
The lighter gloves do have reduced padding that allows you to feel the impact of your punches and the lightness of the gloves means you can throw more punches with better technique.
These aid in the development of technique and accuracy of your punches.
However, their lighter nature also means they offer less hand protection, making them less safe for heavy-hitting punching bag sessions.
The heavier 14 – 16 oz sized bag gloves do offer more padding and so provide maximal fist protection when hitting the heavy bag.
The heavier nature also makes it great for training endurance and conditioning on the bag. However, this means that you’ll end up throwing less punches with proper technique. Since repetition is the key to muscle memory, it means your technique won’t improve as much compared to the lighter counterpart.
In general, bag gloves are great and getting 8 oz or 16 oz won’t really matter as long as you’re consistent with your heavy bag training.
However, I still think you should get them last if you’re on a tight budget and instead get a pair of training gloves first.
