We know you have got many questions. Keep on reading, and we will debate on everything you need to know about gloves.
Boxing Gloves – An overview
What's the origin of the boxing gloves?
Boxing is an ancient sport originating in the Middle East. The earliest depictions are found in Iraq and Egypt, dating back to the 3rd Century BC. At its earliest stages, boxers fought with their bare knuckles – a bloody affair.
The gloves in boxing became popular quite recently, in the 19th century. Jack Broughton is the father of modern gloves. Jack invented the padded gloves to train students, calling his gloves "Mufflers." The championship fighters never adapted to his design, but the idea of hand protection caught on and became compulsory for boxing in the coming decades.
Ok, so the gloves evolved in the 20th century, essentially morphing into their current form. Boxing highly progressed in recent years in training and equipment, consequently snowballing the need for different kinds of gloves – for sparring and bag training.
But why the gloves? Can't we do without them?
Why Do We Need Boxing Gloves?
To protect the boxer's hand from damage. Hand injuries are common in combative sports – yet this doesn't change how painful and damaging they are. A prime example will be a bare-knuckle boxing bout.
Rules of a bare-knuckle boxing match are set in stone; fighters are only allowed to cover their thumb and wrists. Many of the bare-knuckle boxers sustain injuries in every fight. The bones of the hand are fragile and tiny compared to the target they hit.
Hitting someone with hands naturally results in broken bones, mainly if you target your opponent's head. Thus, it is highly advisable to use gloves while in a fight or training.
Prevention Better than Cure – Avoiding Bone Displacement
The gloves introduce a buffer cushion between your finger joints and your opponent. Finger joints are the most exposed to the shock of a punch, and the impact can cause substantial damage to your knuckles. Gloves provide an armour of protection.
Buy Boxing Gloves - Minimize Inflicted Damage
The size and padding of the glove influence - minimize the impact of a thrown punch. Without the gloves, the impact of a decent punch may result in severe damage- to both you and your opponent. The foam padding of the glove as a significant buffer helps prevent a serious injury to your opponent.
Minimizing Serious Injuries
Hey, we all know boxing turns bloody almost immediately; the competitors bleed from nose and forehead during the fight, and it's a common occurrence. What is more lethal; is a perfectly thrown punch with a precision that causes even more severe damage. Blood loss due to a fight occurs much often if the boxers don't use gloves, such as a bare-knuckle fight – the pinnacle of a blood bath.
Support – Impact and Wrists
Medically, the resulting shock force of a punch may inflict some severe damage to your wrists; that shock force can be highly reduced by using gloves.
Wrist injuries are a hard bargain for the thrill of one-on-one combat. Such bruises take a lot of time to heal and put a strain on a boxer's career. Gloves are designed to minimize the shock of the punch, enabling fighters to evade serious injuries.
The F.A. Qs - Frequently Asked Questions
Ok, so now you know the importance of the gloves, let's jump into some frequently asked questions;
Which boxing gloves are the best?
This is the most searched question on the web regarding boxing grade gloves.
So, what do you think? What makes a glove the best boxing glove? The answer here is highly subjective. The best boxing glove for a manufacturer can be their "Top-Quality Boxing Gloves", and for you, the best quality glove is decided by your area of use (sparring, training or bagging).
A better query will be, "what is the key purpose of the boxing gloves?" After deciding on the purpose of the gloves, choose from different types, subject to your specific needs. You can pick out a heavy bag work, Muay Thai, Mexican, Vintage, boxing or a sparring glove; in the end, the best glove means the glove that meets your specific requirements.
Boxing Gloves USA - Do gloves come in different sizes?
A huge misconception among the general public is that gloves come in sizes, which is entirely wrong. The gloves come in different weights – in ounces. Instead of sizes such as, Small, Medium and Large, you see gloves in 4oz to 20oz weights. The weight is subject to the amount and layers of padding present in the glove—the heavier the glove, the higher the protection for you.
As stated before, the weight of a boxing glove is always between 4 ounces to 20 ounces, but each brand uses its custom mold – affecting the fit of the gloves from brand to brand. The basic principle is going for a heavier glove. If the glove is heavier, it will have a larger sleeve room for your hand and vice-versa.
What glove weight do I need, you may ask?
Let's discuss.
If you are into sparring, grab a 14, 16 or 18-Ounce glove that is again subjective to your size and weight. Increase the weight of gloves if you are above average height and weight.
For training purposes on a punching bag or mitt work, a 12-to-16-ounce glove will do.
If you are a beginner, please choose a 10-to-12-ounce glove, depending on the weight.
While the professional fighters use 8-to-10-ounce gloves.
Remember, there are always exceptions, so consult with your trainer or ask our experts for help. All of our experts are professional boxers practicing real boxing techniques. If you have any questions about the weight of your custom boxing gloves, Infinitude fight experts can help!
What do the boxing gloves cost?
Boxing gloves price depends on few factors, such as size, quality of materials, brand and the overall look and quality. In the market, you can find gloves ranging from $80 to over $500. Still, be mindful that being expensive does not always mean good quality. When it comes to gloves, people tend to spend much more money on brand names, which doesn't always work out for the best.
Please choose carefully and understand the difference between Handmade and Mass-Produced.
Handmade Vs Mass Produced?
Mass-produced - products are made in bulk, using machinery, cutting down the time, labor, quality and material costs. Mass-produced gloves have a high defect rate and are not much durable.
However, they are a good option if you are a beginner; you can practice your craft on cheaper gloves and then move on to the premium quality handmade gloves.
Handmade – products made by skilled artisans whose experience is centred on attention to detail. The highest quality materials and technology is used for customized handmade gloves. Giving the gloves a premium finish.
How to take care of boxing gloves?
The gloves don't ask for much care, do these simple steps, your hands and gloves will thank you.
Let's put it out there, the smell in your boxing gear is inevitable. And the smell is a result of bacteria living on your skin, which is caused by your genetics – not by the type of glove you use.
These simple solutions will help you tune down the strength of the smell:
Wet and Sweaty - Don't let the gloves stay damp and sweaty in your gym bag (which you should regularly clean, too) for an extended period.
Anti-bacterial - Clean your gloves with an anti-bacterial wipe after every single use.
Care on Both sides - Dry the gloves on both inside and outside using paper towels.
Deodorizers - Make a habit of using moisture absorbing glove deodorizers to dry them.
Sun and Heat Exposure - Never leave your gloves in the sun or close to high heat, as this can crack the leather.
Hand wraps - Use hand wraps with the gloves to soak up sweat, wash or change your hand wraps after each use.
- vNever wash your gloves in a washing machine or dip them in water unless, of course, they are designed for that purpose.
What is better: Velcro or lace?
Velcro Gloves - We recommend Velcro gloves to beginners; they are a more practical option between the two. Easy to put on as they don't require assistance from anyone. They are suitable for boxing and fitness classes that require frequent glove changes.
The one lag in the Velcro gloves is their feeble wrist support.
Lace-up Gloves – Ideal for pro boxers. Suitable for sparring owing to their optimum wrist support, the laces won't cause damage to you or your opponent. The only drawback to lace gloves is that they require another person's assistance to put them on.
Are These Authentic Gloves?
All the boxing and gym gear available at Infinitude Fight is authentic and made from top-quality material employing advanced technologies. We are in the business since 2018 and have acquired the status of authorized distributor for various brands.
Feel free to contact us with any queries.
To Summarize
The gloves are essential for a brutal sport such as boxing. If you need assistance in choosing the best pair of gloves specific to your needs, please do not hesitate to ask your trainer.
Experts at Infinitude Fight, as professional boxers, know a thing or two about boxing gloves. Whether you need help to warp your hands or assistance on what type of gl