If you are shopping for the very first time for the best boxing gloves it can be pretty confusing, especially for the beginner who is also new to the game but passionate about playing that which weight of boxing glove he needs to buy.
You might be wondering
- Why is boxing glove called by their weight rather than the size of hand?
- What does oz mean?
- What boxing gloves weight is right for me?
In this guide, our expert team will give you answers regarding the types of boxing glove based on different weight and which pair will be most suitable for you!
What does oz mean?
Somewhere on your boxing gloves, you can find the words written oz with a specific number. This tells the identification of boxing glove in terms of weight and how they refer by everyone in sports conversation.
Like shoes measure by their length, they measure by their weight. The unit of weight is in ounces. Ounces in boxing gloves typically range from 4oz, 6oz and 8oz for younger people and 10,12,14,16,18 oz for adults.
For reference, 1 ounce is approx. 28 grams.
Why is a boxing glove measured by its weight?
Gloves are classified based on ounces rather than size so as to comprehend the weight and resistance they give the fighter while preparing.
A light boxing glove of 10 oz has a lighter build in terms of padding and a heavier one gives a larger bulkier build.
A 10 oz lighter boxing glove causes less fatigue in muscles and reduced resistance when throwing a harder/faster punch in comparison to a 16oz boxing glove.
With less weight, you have the flexibility of movement at the expense of injury risk whereas with heavier boxing gloves, you may find yourself tired early in the game.
What boxing glove should you choose?
The answer to this question lies in the identification of your needs from a pair of boxing gloves.
What are your boxing gloves being utilized for?
Are you planning to use your boxing gloves on a heavy punching bag /boxing bag, focus pads /mitts for training with a coach or sparring?
The answer to this basic question will be the starting point of your hunt for the best pair of gloves. Below are some considerations to keep in mind before buying the gloves.
Which boxing glove is essential for focus pad / mitt training?
A 10 to 12 oz weight boxing glove is a good choice for training on focus pads/ mitts, they offer medium-level resistance and protection for the player’s hands.
The above-mentioned weights of gloves are suitable for adults of 60 to 85 kg. People of less weight under 60 kgs go for 10 -12 oz heavier gloves and people with heavier weights wear 12 to 14oz boxing gloves. The accurate weight of the boxing glove is responsible for delivering the required intensity, speed and pace to the player.
If you wear heavier gloves for bag work and pad training, the endurance in your arms may reduce but over time strength will reach to a multi-fold level resulting in you experiencing a power pack workout.
Remember that the above guide works on average, no one is stopping you to try and train with multiple weights and select the one you feel most comfortable with.
Which boxing glove is essential for bag training?
The same information discussed above is true in this case as well except for some other details.
Additionally, a pair of boxing gloves or mitts may be needed along with your boxing gear. If you are training with a hefty thick and dense boxing bag, a well-padded pair of boxing gloves is recommended to lower the risk of injury.
Which boxing glove is essential for sparring?
For sparring, more protection is the need for hands than punching bags and pads. Both training partners recommend by their coaches to wear 16oz weight of boxing glove.
A 16oz though heavier than its 12 oz counterpart gives more defense against the shots landing one after the other, similarly more energy requires to place heavy shots on opposing members.
A training partner with 10oz gloves for sparring must have good control otherwise stay alert to counter defensively. Then not all sparring gloves build exactly the same, some have more padding over the knuckles others have thin. It’s best to do research earlier on the model of a boxing glove and the weight they offer to not hurt your hands while throwing punches at the opponent.
Are heavier boxing gloves safer?
Yes or no, depends on the thickness of the padding. A weight of 16oz boxing glove creates resistance to your ability to throw a punch while 16oz with thin padding over your knuckles can still hurt your hands and opponent too.
If you compare 16oz and 12oz of the same build and model, then definitely 16oz will provide more protection.
Be sure to check the features and build quality of gloves to reduce your chances of injury.
What does your coach suggest to you?
Your teammates may tell you which boxing pair you must purchase, it’s a good idea to follow your coach’s advice on which gloves you need or even better take help from 8xSports support team members via live chat box for instant answers.
Is it necessary to carry two pairs of boxing gloves?
If you are a frequent trainer and involved in many combat-based sports, like to play muay Thai, and kickboxing too then our team highly recommends you have 2 pairs in your training bag.
If you box 1 to 3 times a week as a hobby, one pair is enough.
