Boxing Glove Size Guide

Choosing the best boxing gloves for you can be more complicated than you think. Not only does the size of your hands need to be considered, but you need to consider what you’ll be using the gloves for. If you need guidance on buying your own gloves or you’re buying them as a gift, Geezers Boxing has the answers to all the questions you need to get the perfect boxing glove fit.

Boxing glove size charts by weight class

As a general rule, boxing glove weight closely relates to your own weight and height. The following glove size guides and charts should be a good indication of the size and type of gloves you should buy for training, sparring and professional fighting.

Best bag boxing gloves

Glove Weight	Boxer Weight	Size
6oz - 8oz	Up to 45kg (7st)	Youth (Y)
10oz - 12oz	46kg - 68kg (7st - 10st)	Regular (S/M)
14oz	69kg - 80kg (10st - 12st)	Large (L/XL)
16oz - 18oz	Over 80kg (12st)	Large (L/XL)

Bag boxing gloves differ from pro boxing gloves because they’re slightly larger and more padded. This is to protect your hands while you’re training because what you’re hitting doesn’t need to feel the full force of each punch. However, bag gloves are smaller than sparring gloves due to sparring gloves protecting both your hands and the person you’re hitting.

What size for pro boxing gloves?

Glove Weight	Boxer Weight	Size
8oz	Up to 66kg (10st)	Youth (Y)
10oz	67kg - 91kg (10st - 14st)	Regular (S/M)
10oz XL	Over 91kg (14st) - Used by heavyweights with large hands	Large (L/XL)

Professional boxing gloves are much lighter than bag boxing gloves or sparring gloves because there’s a lighter layer of padding to make sure your opponent feels the full force of every punch you land. Most pro boxing gloves come in 8oz or 10oz for both men and women, with the 10oz XL gloves used by heavyweight fighters with big hands for a more comfortable fit.

Best boxing gloves for training

Glove Weight	Boxer Weight
10oz - 12oz	Under 46kg (7st) - Youth
12oz - 14oz	46kg - 68kg (7st - 10st)
14oz - 16oz	69kg - 80kg (10st - 12st)
16oz - 18oz	Over 80kg (12st)

Sparring gloves are typically heavier than bag gloves and professional boxing gloves because you're not trying to hurt your opponent when sparring. Extra padding also protects your own hands from contact with bone which you don't have to worry about with a punching bag.

What size boxing gloves for women?

As long as you measure the size of your hands right, most boxing gloves can be unisex without discomfort. However, many brands offer a dedicated range of women’s boxing gloves which typically have a narrower hand that is more suited to most women.

What size boxing gloves for teenagers?

Teenage boxing gloves can usually be found in the junior boxing gloves range but, as always, it’s useful to get more accurate hand, height and weight measurements to understand what the best gloves for boxing teens will be.

Geezers Boxing also offers junior boxing gloves for much younger children, including 4oz and 6oz boxing gloves suitable for children as young as four.

What size gloves for MMA?

The difference between boxing gloves vs MMA gloves is that gloves used for MMA are open-fingered and have a thinner layer of padding than boxing gloves typically around 4oz - 6oz.

This is because MMA fighters need use of their fingers for grappling moves which boxers aren’t able to use in the ring.

Best boxing gloves for beginners

If you’re just getting started with boxing, you should be thinking about what you’re going to be using your gloves for. If you’re looking to just start out training, lighter punching bag gloves might be best suited. If you know you’ll want to get into sparring early on, you might want to start with thicker boxing gloves for training that are better for all-around use.

You might also want to start with a cheaper style glove before investing in a pair of real leather gloves. In which case, the best boxing gloves to buy would be those made from PU leather, a leather alternative that’s durable but more cost-effective than real leather.

Does boxing glove size matter?

Good boxing gloves that fit well are essential for protecting your hands and making sure you’re performing at your best. Buy boxing gloves that are too tight and you risk moving the bones and muscles in your hands in unnatural ways which, when put under the repeated stress of punching can seriously damage your hands.

On the other side, gloves that are too big allow for movement of your hands which makes your punches less accurate and can cause strain on the wrist over time.

How do I know my boxing glove size?

In addition to choosing a glove sizing based on your weight class, you can sometimes get a more accurate idea of your glove size by measuring your hand circumference, which is especially important if you have large hands for your size/weight.

How to measure glove sizes for boxing

To find the circumference of your dominant hand, take a flexible fabric tape measure and wrap it just below the knuckles of your open hand. Make sure the tape meets in the centre of your palm for the most accurate reading.

If you don’t have a flexible tape, you can repeat the same method with a length of string and mark the string where both sides meet, comparing that mark against a ruler or a more rigid tape measure.

Do heavier boxing gloves hit harder?

Because the weight of the gloves relates to the weight of the padding and not the overall weight, it’s untrue that boxing gloves’ weight means they hit harder. This is why sparring gloves are the heaviest and professional competition boxing gloves are some of the lightest.

Why do boxers wrap their hands?

In addition to wearing the right boxing gloves, it’s a good idea to wrap your hands when fighting or training. In much the same way that buying the right sized boxing gloves ensures your bones and muscles don’t get too cramped inside the gloves, applying hand wraps properly secures your hand in the right place so there’s no strenuous movement.