Do an online search of boxing gloves, and you'll get more
results returned than you know what to do with! First of all,
you need to determine the purpose of your gloves. Are they for
full contact boxing? Martial arts sparring? Training? Bag work?
Aerobic kick boxing? Establish which kind of fighting you plan
on participating in first. Then look at the various styles,
sizes and weights.

First, go to any sporting goods store or eBay and pick up a
stock pair of gloves. But will they protect you and will they
help you to become a better fighter? Or are they basically
worthless? Many fighters will tell you that leather gloves are
the best. They may cost a little more (likely), but you will
get a quality pair that will provide better support and will
last longer. Note: For the purpose of this discussion we will
assume you're not a fitness class or hobbyist boxer.

You truly will get what you pay for. But that's ok in some
cases. If you're not in the Golden Gloves, or plan on being a
contestant on The Contender, then you may not need $400 gloves.
But if you spend $15 on a pair, don't expect to be the next
Oscar De la Hoya. If you're serious about the sport, and aren't
just trying it out to see if you like it, or even just
periodically hitting the bag as a hobby, then invest in a good
pair of gloves.

The weight of the glove is also important. You will be able to
find weights ranging from 10 to 20 ounces. In most professional
boxing matches, the fighters usually wear 10 oz gloves. However,
for training purposes, most gloves weigh 12 oz, 14 oz, and 16
oz. The heavier the glove, the more protection it offers. For
beginners, 14 oz and 16 oz gloves are recommended. For sparring
purposes, 16 oz boxing gloves are standard.

Get the right size. Most gloves are sized small, medium and
large sizes. On average, men will wear large, women will wear
medium and youth will wear small. Of course this will vary if
one has exceptionally large or small mitts. Some manufacturers
also vary slightly, but for the most part the sizing is fairly
standardized.

Another factor to consider is the closure on the glove; do you
prefer Velcro or laces? The classic style boxing gloves that
you always see in prize fights are tied on with laces. Just
like lacing up your shoes, laces provide a nice snug fit. It
takes two people to get lace up gloves on.

The advantage to buying a pair of boxing gloves with Velcro
straps is that you can easily put on the gloves, and remove
them yourself. If you have ever tried to lace a pair of gloves
when nobody is around, it is almost impossible. For your
average person and general training purposes, gloves with
Velcro straps are very acceptable.

Buying a decent pair of boxing / sparring gloves isn't too
difficult. It just takes a little more thought that simply
making a run to your favorite sporting goods store and picking
up a pair that is on sale. Determine which type will suit you
best. Now show me some combos!


About The Author: Shirley Bullington, webmaster for
http://www.rxboxing.com has a site that is a terrific resource
for boxing information and supplies. Be sure to visit
http://www.rxboxing.com