Boxing glove

Boxing gloves are special cushioned gloves that fighters wear on their hands during boxing matches and practices. They are made to protect both the fighter's hands and their opponent's head. Unlike old "fist-load weapons" like the ancient cestus, which were meant to hurt badly, modern boxing gloves are built to keep everyone safer.

These gloves are used not just in real matches but also when boxers practice together, called sparring, and in other kinds of boxing training. Each type of practice might need a special kind of glove to make sure everyone stays safe while they learn and improve their skills.

History

Ancient Middle-Eastern and Egyptian pictures from around 2000 BC show fighters wearing bands to support their wrists. Early pictures of gloves in boxing come from Minoan Crete around 1500 BC. Fighting with hand protection has been known since Ancient Greece, but the gloves were very different from today’s boxing gloves.

In Roman times, gloves called the cestus had metal added to hurt opponents more. The oldest surviving boxing gloves are from around AD 120 and were found at the Roman fort of Vindolanda. Boxing was banned in AD 393 because it was too rough.

Boxing became popular again in Britain in the 17th century. At first, fighters used bare knuckles and had few rules. Later, Jack Broughton made rules in the 18th century that allowed gloves only for practice. Gloves became required in fights in 1867 with the Marquess of Queensberry Rules.

Modern boxing gloves began in the late 1890s. Over many years, designers have improved them to be safe and strong. Today’s gloves have special padding and materials approved by the International Boxing Association.

Features

Boxing gloves can have either lace-ups or velcro. Velcro gloves help keep the wrist stable, while lace-up gloves fit more snugly but need help to tie and are often wrapped with tape before a match.

These gloves use different types of padding, like horsehair or foam, to protect hands during boxing. In amateur matches, gloves are usually red or blue to help judges see punches clearly. Gloves are worn over hand wraps, which are long cotton bands that help keep the hand safe.

Types of gloves

Boxing gloves come in different types to suit various needs. Some are made for training and practice, while others are used in actual matches. Each type provides cushioning to protect both the fighter's hands and their opponent during sparring or competition.

Type	Images	Description	Available size
Bag gloves		A cushioned glove to protect the athlete's hands against heavy strikes on punching bags; these are the gloves not recommended by trainers for any boxing training, especially for non-sparrers.	8 oz (230 g) 10 oz (280 g) 12 oz (340 g) 14 oz (400 g) 16 oz (450 g)
Bag mitts		Mitts are used to add slight protection to the athlete's hands while striking punching bags while simultaneously strengthening the athlete's hands and allowing for the practice of proper, closed-fist punching technique.	2 oz (57 g)
Sparring gloves		Gloves designed to protect both athletes during practice bouts. Usually gloves 2 to 4 oz (57 to 110 g) heavier than competition gloves are selected to spar, to avoid unnecessary injuries. However, in some unique cases of exceptionally strong punching power, gloves of around 20 oz (570 g) could be utilized. Sonny Liston had 22-ounce (620 g) custom-made Everlast gloves, though they barely saved his sparring partners from being knocked out daily. Mike Tyson, while being an amateur, had 18-ounce (510 g) sparring gloves, which also barely protected his sparring partners from his heavy punches.	4 oz (110 g) 6 oz (170 g) 10 oz (280 g) 12 oz (340 g) 14 oz (400 g) 16 oz (450 g) 18 oz (510 g) 20 oz (570 g)
Competition gloves		Gloves designed to protect both athletes during competitions, built according to official regulations. Generally less padded than other glove types. Have white-painted scoring area at the knuckles.	8 oz (230 g) 10 oz (280 g) 12 oz (340 g)
Lace Up gloves		Gloves typically used by professionals in training and competition	8 oz (230 g) 10 oz (280 g) 12 oz (340 g) 14 oz (400 g) 16 oz (450 g)

Safety

The use of gloves in boxing is a topic of much discussion. In the old days of bare-knuckle boxing, hitting the head was less common because fighters could easily hurt their hands. Today’s gloves help prevent cuts but do not stop brain injuries. In fact, because gloves let fighters punch harder, head injuries might even happen more often. Gloves can help protect the eyes, but serious eye problems can still occur.

Old records about bare-knuckle boxing are incomplete, and the rules and medical care were very different. Fights could go on for hours until a fighter could no longer continue. Some fighters sadly died after being forced to keep fighting when they were too hurt to go on. The rules later changed to require fighters to be able to move on their own to keep fighting.

Weighted training gloves

Weighted training gloves are special gloves that help boxers practice. They have extra weight, usually between 2 and 6 and a half pounds. Using these gloves can make a boxer's punches stronger and faster. Boxers switch between using weighted gloves and regular gloves to keep their normal punching style. Sometimes, light dumbbells are also used for similar practice.

Illegal modification of boxing gloves

In 1983, a boxer named Luis Resto won a surprise match against Billy Collins Jr. at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Later, it was discovered that Resto's trainer had removed the padding from Resto’s gloves, making them much more dangerous. The trainer was punished for this unfair and unsafe action.

Influence of boxing gloves in other fight sports

Open-fingered and open palm MMA gloves or grappling gloves are used in mixed martial arts bouts. These gloves are different from boxing gloves. Like the wrist-supporting, closed-thumb gloves shown in Bruce Lee's 1973 movie Enter the Dragon, they give some padding to the wearer but leave the fingers and palm open. This allows for special wrestling and grappling moves such as clinch fighting, which are not allowed in modern boxing.