In the world of professional boxing, the size and weight of boxing gloves is an important consideration. Gloves come in different sizes and weights, with the most common being 10 oz, 12 oz, 14 oz, and 16 oz gloves. So do pro boxers actually use the biggest 16 oz gloves in the ring?
TL;DR
The short answer is no, professional boxers do not use 16 oz gloves in competition. The majority of pro boxing matches use either 10 oz or 12 oz gloves.
Glove Sizes in Professional Boxing
In professional boxing, the officially sanctioned glove sizes according to each of the major boxing sanctioning bodies are:
- World Boxing Council (WBC) – 8 oz gloves for fights up to welterweight (147 lbs), and 10 oz gloves for light middleweight (154 lbs) and heavier fighters
- World Boxing Association (WBA) – 10 oz gloves
- International Boxing Federation (IBF) – 10 oz gloves
- World Boxing Organization (WBO) – 10 oz gloves
As you can see, none of the major sanctioning bodies allow for the use of 16 oz gloves in professional bouts. The heaviest gloves permitted are 10 oz gloves.
Why Don’t Pros Use 16 oz Gloves?
There are a few key reasons why 16 oz gloves are not used in professional level boxing:
- Protection – Heavier 16 oz gloves provide more padding and protection for the hands and head. However, pros do not need as much protection for the hands and head as amateurs do.
- Punching power – The lighter 10 oz gloves allow fighters to generate more punching power which is important for knockouts and scoring.
- Speed – The lighter glove weight allows for faster hand speed and combinations.
- Tradition – The 10 oz glove size has been the traditional standard at the pro level for many decades.
The extra padding and protection from 16 oz gloves benefits amateur boxers more, while pros are seeking more speed and power with their punches.
When Are 16 oz Gloves Used?
While 16 oz gloves are not used in actual pro bouts, there are some cases where pro boxers will use the heavier 16 oz training gloves:
- During heavy bag training – the extra padding protects the hands and wrists from injury on the heavy bag.
- During sparring sessions – provides a bit more protection for head and body shots for sparring partners.
- For fighters moving up in weight – moving up to heavyweight sometimes warrants heavier 16 oz sparring gloves.
So the main time 16 oz gloves get used is during training, but not for actual competition. The training benefits allow for more rigorous sparring and bag work while protecting the hands and partners.
Glove Weights by Weight Classes
While 10 oz gloves are the predominant glove weight used in professional boxing matches, there can be some variation depending on the weight class:
| Weight Class | Glove Size |
|---|---|
| Strawweight – Mini Flyweight (Up to 105 lbs) | 8 oz |
| Junior Flyweight (108 lbs) | 8 oz |
| Flyweight (112 lbs) | 8 oz |
| Super Flyweight (115 lbs) | 8 oz |
| Bantamweight (118 lbs) | 8 oz |
| Super Bantamweight (122 lbs) | 8 oz |
| Featherweight (126 lbs) | 8 oz |
| Super Featherweight (130 lbs) | 10 oz |
| Lightweight (135 lbs) | 10 oz |
| Super Lightweight (140 lbs) | 10 oz |
| Welterweight (147 lbs) | 10 oz |
| Super Welterweight (154 lbs) | 10 oz |
| Middleweight (160 lbs) | 10 oz |
| Super Middleweight (168 lbs) | 10 oz |
| Light Heavyweight (175 lbs) | 10 oz |
| Cruiserweight (200 lbs) | 10 oz |
| Heavyweight (200+ lbs) | 10 oz |
The lighter weight classes from strawweight up to featherweight typically use 8 oz gloves, while the heavier weight classes from super featherweight and beyond use 10 oz gloves for competition.
Glove Designs and Brands
While all pro boxing gloves are either 8, 10, or 12 oz in weight, there can be some variation in things like glove designs, padding, materials, quality, and brands used:
- Open palm vs. attached thumb – Most pro fight gloves use an open palm design for more natural fist closure, while attached thumb gloves are more common for bag gloves.
- Padding style – Different padding styles include layered foam, injection molded foam, and residual padding like in Cleto Reyes gloves.
- Leather quality – Higher quality leather lasts longer and forms better to the fist.
- Brands – Popular pro brands include Cleto Reyes, Grant, Winning, Rival, and Everlast.
While brands and design vary, the actual glove weight remains either 8, 10 or 12 oz for all pro boxers per the boxing commission rules.
Do Boxing Glove Weights Matter?
When it comes to pro boxing glove weights, it can make a significant difference going from the 10 oz to 8 oz gloves for the smaller weight classes. Here’s a look at some of the potential effects of glove weights:
- The lighter gloves increase punching speed and power generation.
- Punches can cause more damage with less padding to absorb the blow.
- Smaller gloves make it easier to penetrate or get inside an opponent’s guard.
- With less padding, fighters may injure their hands easier without proper technique.
- The heavier weight may tire out fighters’ arms and shoulders quicker.
The potential punching power and speed benefits typically make most fighters want to use the lightest gloves possible within the regulations. But every ounce less of padding requires better technique and precision to avoid hand injuries.
Controversies Around Pro Glove Weights
There has been some controversies related to boxing glove weights used in major professional bouts:
- In 1982, when heavyweight champ Larry Holmes badly beat Randall “Tex” Cobb while wearing lighter 6 oz gloves instead of the required 10 oz gloves.
- In the 2017 fight when Conor McGregor boxed Floyd Mayweather while wearing 8 oz UFC gloves instead of the expected 10 oz gloves.
- In 2019, when Tyson Fury threatened to not fight Deontay Wilder unless he agreed to wear 10 oz gloves instead of Wilder’s preferred 12 oz gloves.
In each case, the fighters wanting the lighter gloves were looking for any punching power and speed advantage possible. But the glove weight disputes caused controversy and claims of trying to severely hurt the opponent.
Glove Weights for Women’s Boxing
For women’s professional boxing, the standard glove weights follow the same conventions as the men’s weight classes:
- 10 oz gloves for fighters over 147 lbs
- 8 oz gloves for fighters under 147 lbs
Women face the same trade-offs as men when it comes to glove weights. The lighter gloves allow for more speed and power, while the heavier padding provides more protection. But all women fighters aim to use the lightest gloves allowed for their weight class.
Amateur Glove Weight Rules
For amateur boxing like the Olympics and other amateur tournaments, the glove weights are typically heavier than the pro levels:
- 16 oz gloves tend to be standard for most weight classes
- Some amateur events require up to 20 oz gloves for additional padding and safety
- Heavier amateur gloves reduce the force of impacts for less experienced fighters
The emphasis for amateur boxing is on safety and learning skills, versus the punching power and speed for professionals. The pros can handle lighter gloves once they develop proper technique.
Sparring Glove Weights
For gym sparring and training, glove weights typically range from 16-20 oz. Here are some tips on sparring glove weights:
- Choose 16 oz gloves for light technical sparring
- Use 18-20 oz for moderate sparring intensity
- Add extra padding like Mexican-style gloves for high intensity sparring
- Go with 16 oz for fighters under 150 lbs, and 18+ oz for heavier weights
- Always communicate with sparring partners on preferred glove weights
The most important factor is choosing sparring glove weights that protect both you and your partner for a given training session.
Factors That Affect Glove Weight
There are a few variables to keep in mind as glove weights can vary slightly from their marked weight:
- Exact manufacturer specs – Some 10 oz gloves might be 10.4 oz for instance.
- Break-in period – Glove weight decreases slightly as the padding compresses over time.
- Moisture – Wet gloves from sweat can weigh 1-2 oz more.
- Manufacturer reputation – More reputable brands like Cleto Reyes have more consistent weights.
So while the weights are meant to fall within certain ounce ranges, there will be some nominal variations from the exact marked glove weight.
Weighing Gloves Before Bouts
To ensure fair bouts, boxing commissions will often weigh gloves on site to verify they meet regulations. Here’s the glove weighing process:
- Gloves are weighed individually, then together on a digital scale.
- Weights must meet the required ounces within a certain tolerance such as 0.05 oz.
- Underweight gloves may be rejected or need extra padding added.
- Oversized gloves may need padding removed to cut weight.
- Both fighters’ gloves are weighed to ensure even weights.
Commissions take glove weights seriously to enforce standards and prevent fighters from trying to gain an edge with lighter gloves.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while pro boxers will often use lighter 8-10 oz gloves for competition, the majority do not use the heavier 16 oz gloves seen more at the amateur levels. Sanctioning bodies only permit gloves up to 10 oz for professional bouts. The lighter glove weights allow fighters to maximize speed and power in their punches. However, controversy does arise when boxers try to push the boundaries on the accepted glove weights for a given fight. Commissions therefore take steps like weigh-ins to enforce standards and make sure pros stick to the traditional 8-10 oz gloves according to weight classes.
