Sparring training is an essential part of boxing. It involves everything you’ve learned thus far—the combos, footwork, and movement! Safety is of the utmost importance, so proper equipment, such as headgear, mouth guards, 16 oz boxing gloves, and more, is crucial for sparring.
What Are Boxing Gloves?
Boxing gloves are padded hand coverings that boxers use during training and competition. While the ancient cestus was used as a weapon, modern boxing gloves protect the fighter’s hand during training and competitions. They allow harder blows to the head with less risk of hand injury and reduce the severity of facial injuries. Boxing gloves serve several important purposes:
- Keep your hands safe as you punch.
- Reducing the possibility of major harm coming to opponents.
- Promoting calm and effective boxing that minimizes the risk of harm from wild strikes.
- Safely spars boxers with partners.
- Offer compliance with governing boarding to ensure fairness and safety.
Why Are Boxing Glove Weights Important For Sparring?
Sparring is a great way to improve your boxing skills without risking injury if you do it in a supervised setting. The role of boxing glove weights is to ensure safety. Not everyone uses the same gloves when weight sparring. The number of ounces of boxing gloves you must wear depends on your weight. For instance, heavy sparring gloves are usually reserved for heavier fighters, while lesser gloves are reserved for lighter fighters. Have a look at the sparring glove sizes:
- 8oz Boxing Gloves
The smallest boxing gloves available are 8 ounces in size. However, sparring sessions should never involve these. These combat gloves are designed for use only in official professional fights. Their extremely small and compact padding can inflict great harm. The recommended weight for these gloves in a professional fight is 61.2 kg (135 lbs).
- 10oz Boxing Gloves
10oz gloves, like 8oz gloves, are only allowed in officially sanctioned professional fights. This rules them out of sparring, even technical training, let alone competitions. These gloves are extremely dangerous and have little cushioning for sparring sessions. The regulations and sanctioning agencies of professional boxing stipulate that similar to 8 oz gloves, 10 oz gloves are mandatory for all professional fights.
- 12oz Boxing Gloves
Sparring with 12 oz gloves is ideal for boxers of all ages and weights, especially those weighing 46–68 kg (7–10 st). However, these gloves may not be comfortable for bigger boxers. When used during competitive sparring, these gloves can still do serious harm to stronger opponents.
- 14oz Boxing Gloves
Fighters weighing 69–80 kg should normally wear 14-oz gloves, which are extremely protective for sparring. Larger gloves with more padding are safer for harder hitters and bigger fighters.
This size is among the most popular sparring gloves. Still, 14-oz gloves might not be big enough for heavier and cruiserweight fighters.
- 16oz Boxing Gloves
Without question, 16 oz boxing gloves are the most popular choice for sparring. These gloves are suitable for sparring sessions and can be worn by almost every weight class. They are also popular because they offer plenty of padding and protection for the hands and the opponent.
For optimal safety and adequate protection, no fighter weighing more than 80 kg should spar in gloves that are less than 16 ounces in size. This ensures that fighters do not put themselves in harm’s way during competitive sparring.
- 18oz Boxing Gloves
Only the hardest-hitting participants, including heavyweights, use 18oz boxing gloves. The extra two ounces of protection will guarantee your safety and security during more intense sparring matches.
Because of the generous cushioning, 18-oz sparring gloves have a very large profile. This is why only boxers with really huge hands should wear them. Remember that these gloves have a dual purpose: protecting both your sparring partner and your hands so that you can fight without injuries.
Read More: Expert Guide To Boxing Sparring Glove Weight
Why Are 16 OZ Boxing Gloves Good For Sparring?
- Optimal Protection
One of the main reasons 16-oz gloves are a popular choice among boxers is the protection they provide. The thicker padding makes them perfect for absorbing the force of blows when training or sparring. If you’re just starting or are healing from an injury, this additional padding can protect you from harm.
- Versatility In Training
The 16-ounce gloves are great for all sorts of training because they are protective and adaptable. They provide enough protection without limiting mobility, making them ideal for heavy bag work, mitt work, and partner sparring. Their adaptability removes the need for boxers to invest in an endless number of gloves for different training sessions, making them a great pick.
- Preventing Hand Injuries
While a boxer’s head must be protected first and foremost, his hands must also be protected. The fighter’s hand, wrist, and forearm are better protected from impacts because of the extra padding of 16-ounce gloves. This force distribution reduces the chances of fighters suffering from sprains, fractures, and other problems commonly seen in gloves with less padding.
- Reduce Cuts And Abrasions
The rough and tumble nature of boxing makes cuts and scrapes all too common. On the other hand, 16 oz gloves’ padding can help avoid those kinds of injuries. The extra padding can function as a barrier between the fighter’s fists and their opponent’s face, lowering the chances of direct, sharp blows that might inflict cuts and abrasions. Fighters can show off their skills for longer if they are protected from cuts, which means the fight can last longer.
- Skill And Strategy Promotion
The impact of skill-based boxing is an often-overlooked part of the glove size argument. Some feel smaller gloves encourage a more aggressive and power-based fighting style, whereas professionals rely on landing big punches to win. The added cushioning of 16 oz gloves can make boxing feel more like a strategy match when focusing on footwork, defensive maneuvers, and technique. This could lead to more exciting contests that showcase boxing’s genuine art.
Summing Up
A popular option, the 16 oz boxing gloves provide the perfect balance of protection, adaptability, and regulation compliance. Whether you’re an experienced competitor or just starting, these gloves can help you train and perform better.
Shop for the best boxing gloves at HIT N MOVE and boost your boxing game.