5 Best Boxing Gloves – From Beginner To Pro (2023)
When you start boxing, kickboxing, or muay Thai, finding the best boxing gloves for your needs is essential. Whether you’re a beginner learning the basics or an experienced fighter looking to maximize protection and performance, there are boxing gloves that can meet your requirements. It’s important to consider factors like size, padding, and material when searching for the ideal boxing glove. Having quality gear not only feels better during training, but can also help with gym motivation.
This article will provide an overview of the best boxing gloves for beginners, intermediate athletes, professionals, and kids. I will also explain what you need to look out for when selecting boxing gloves to know what kind of boxing glove is right for you. With this knowledge in hand, you can find the perfect pair of boxing gloves to help take your training to the next level!
What Are The Best Boxing Gloves?
Quality is worth the investment when choosing a pair of boxing gloves. Even if you plan on using them just as bag gloves, you will want to have the right boxing gloves. You might think that you aren’t going to be fighting in the ring, but having the proper protection for your fists and the right amount of cushioning to not hurt your sparring partners in the gym should still be a priority.
So here is a list of five of the best boxing gloves for different types of users.
1. The Best Boxing Gloves For Beginners: Venum Elite Boxing Gloves
The Venum Elite Boxing Gloves offer great comfort and are ideal for beginners.
From experience, I can tell that they are durable, lightweight, and just all-around great boxing gloves. Venum is a well-established brand in the MMA community, and the gloves come in various designs for men and women. The only downside is that they are made of synthetic leather and can therefore start to smell after a couple of months.
Features:
- Microfiber PU casing
- Four layers of natural foam
- Perforated palm: better breathability
- Fully assembled and hand sewn in Thailand
- Many different colors
2. The Best Boxing Gloves For Intermediates: Top King Leather Gloves
The Top King Leather Gloves feel a little tighter on the hands than the gloves from Venum, which can feel strange to complete beginners. The padding is quite soft, making the gloves perfect for sparring workouts. Of course, they are just as capable of hitting a punching bag. The design of Top King gloves is relatively simple, but different colors, from black to pink, are available.
Features:
- Multilayer inner foam system with inner wrist padding
- Featuring a clima cool technology which helps with the gloves’ breath-ability and drying out times
- A specially designed wraparound closure system for a secure fit
- Made in Thailand from the highest quality cowhide leather
- Long-lasting and durable
- Different colors available
3. The Best Boxing Gloves For Advanced Athletes: CLETO REYES Training Gloves With Hook And Loop Closure
The Cleto Reyes Training Gloves are my clear recommendation for advanced athletes or beginners who are open to the price. They are almost a piece of art in how they fit tightly around the wrist. The construction is of the highest quality, and you can forget about smelly gloves after intense workouts. This brand is most popular amongst professional boxers and is the official brand of many boxing federations around the world.
Features:
- Designed with the finest craftsmanship and highest quality material
- Handmade in Mexico. Manufactured under strict control in the very best quality leather and all the other materials
- The long-lasting latex foam padding gives your knuckles the support they need, while the water-repellent linings prevent moisture from entering the padding and keep the gloves’ weight constant
- The Cleto Reyes Gloves With Hook & Loop closure have an attached thumb, which prevents eye injuries and keeps the thumb from being broken or sprained while training
4. The Best Boxing Gloves For Beginners On A Tight Budget: Everlast Pro Style Training Gloves
Everlast is a well-known brand with boxing equipment in every price segment. If you are just looking at boxing or kickboxing and are not willing to spend much money on gloves right away, I can recommend Pro Style Training Gloves from Everlast. They will suffice for the beginning stage of your boxing or kickboxing journey, but just be aware that once you get to a certain level, you are going to want better gloves.
Features:
- 80% Polyurethane/20% Polyester
- Country of origin: China
- Available in red, blue, and black
5. The Best Boxing Gloves For Kids: Everlast Prospect Training Kit
If you are looking for equipment for your kids, I recommend the Everlast Prospect Training Kit. It is affordable and includes a helmet, boxing gloves, and a pair of pads.
Features:
- The gloves are built with multi-layered foam padding and hook-and-loop wrist closure
- The Prospect Punch Mitts can be used for boxing or kickboxing training
Which Size Should You Take And Is There A Difference Between Gloves For Men And Women?
Sizes are given in ounces and range from 6 oz to 16 oz. The size you need depends on your own weight. If you want to get into sparring, you want heavier gloves because that weight comes from the extra padding. If you plan on using them only on a punching bag, the size only matters a little. For the safety of your hands, I still recommend taking gloves with sufficient padding.
Weight | Training | Sparring |
< 100 lbs < 45 kg | 8 oz -10 oz | 10 oz – 12 oz |
100 lbs – 135 lbs 45 kg – 60 kg | 10 oz – 12 oz | 12 oz – 14 oz |
135 lbs – 165 lbs 60 kg – 75 kg | 12 oz – 14 oz | 14 oz – 16 oz |
>165 lbs > 75 kg | 14 oz – 16 oz | 16 oz (or more) |
Furthermore, there is no difference between a women’s glove and a men’s glove besides colors. This is just marketing. Choose the right size for your body weight, and you will be perfectly fine regardless of gender.
Is There A Difference Between Boxing Gloves And Kickboxing Gloves?
Every glove in the article above will work for boxing, kickboxing, and muay Thai. Some brands are seen more often in particular sports, but there is no real difference between boxing gloves and kickboxing gloves. For example, in boxing, Cleto Reyes gloves are common. In MMA gyms, you will see a lot of Venum equipment, and in a Thai boxing gym, many people use gear from Top King. But these are just trends, so I wouldn’t worry about it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the best boxing gloves for you ultimately depend on your budget and what type of training you plan to do. If you’re just starting and don’t want to commit a lot of money, Everlast Pro Style Training Gloves are a good choice. On the other hand, for advanced athletes or those looking for superior quality, Cleto Reyes or Top King are great options. No matter which glove you choose, make sure to select the right size for your body and training intentions.
Don’t have a punching bag jet? – You can find the best options here. If you don’t want to drill holes in your ceiling, take a look at the best free-standing options here.
Martial arts are awesome, and I wish you the best on your boxing journey.
Happy training!