Amateur Boxing Gloves: Which Are the Best Ones? Which Is the Best Bang For Buck?
When I started searching for boxing gloves, most sales guys at retail outlets were trying to sell me professional gloves. They were undoubtedly, some of the best gloves that money can buy.
Premium leather, double stitched, fit like an old sock. Loved them. But for an amateur like me, they were overkill, and pricey too.
I have been an amateur wrestler since high school and this is my maiden foray into the world of amateur boxing. My primary goals are improving footwork, punch strength and shoulder strength.
My coach suggested some sparring as part of the drills, it makes for a worthy addition to those punching bag sessions. So, I knew that I needed a pair of sturdy boxing gloves. But a pair of amateur boxing gloves would do just fine.
The word ‘amateur’ often triggers mixed reactions from people. Some people associate it with beginner boxing. But that’s not true.
Amateur boxing is not beginner boxing. It’s essentially a broad term used to describe any form of the sport that’s not graded under the professional system. I will discuss more about this in a bit.
For now, let’s talk a bit about the best amateur boxing gloves, shall we?
Which Amateur Boxing Glove I Ended Up Getting?
I ended up buying the TITLE Classic USA Boxing Gloves. I initially narrowed down on 10-boxing gloves that ticked the boxes in my checklist. I almost got these here from Cleto Reyes because of their ridiculously high number of postive ratings but price is a bit more than i wanted to spend.
Check them out here if you want.
After running some comparisons based on the features and the price, the Title Classics offered the best bang for the buck.
It’s a very well-constructed pair of gloves. It’s lightweight, yet sturdy and my largish hands don’t feel like they are cramped into a box of wet cement.
I will talk more about it.
For now, here’s my list of the best amateur boxing gloves that you can buy.
Best Amateur Boxing Gloves
If you are an amateur boxer, then any one of the these boxing gloves should work great for you. To make it easier to understand, I have tried to assign one specialty to each pair.
#1 - Everlast Amateur Competition Fight Gloves - Best Quality
Everlast Amateur Competition Fight Gloves - Review
Everlast’s Amateur competition fight gloves are a great choice for amateur boxers who seek professional-grade quality. This is an amateur competition glove that retains Everlast’s classic design and clubs it with premium construction.
Build quality
The gloves are made from bovine leather, with double stitches seams. As expected, the feel of the gloves and the comfort it offers is unparalleled.
Fit
The Velcro hook and loop system is top notch and the gloves fit securely on average and large sized hands. It certainly fit snugly on mine and I have silverback-like hands.
Price
These are not overpriced like a lot of the other options that I saw. But it’s definitely not cheap either. That’s one of the reasons why I decided to go with Title. But that’s subjective. If quality is what you seek, then this not too shabby of a price shouldn’t be a deterrent for you.
Best features
- Classic design
- High quality leather
- 10 & 12 oz. sizes
- Lightweight, comfortable and sturdy
- Great for practice and sparring
#2 - TITLE Classic USA Gloves - Best Bang for buck
TITLE Classic USA Boxing Competition Gloves - Review
My pick of the lot is the Title Classic USA Boxing gloves.
These amazing gloves are approved by USA boxing and the national amateur competition. I personally loved the fit and feel of these gloves on my hands. The price was another motivating factor.
They are also rated and reviewed extrmemely well on amazon. I mean just take a look at the customer reviews here.
Build quality
These gloves have four layers of high density foam covered by a thick layer of faux leather. The feel upon contact, with both, heavy bags and sparring partners is amazing. I never felt the force of impact in my knuckles. But it didn’t numb it down to zero either. It has a very comfortable feel.
Fit
Great fit. The gloves feature a hook-and-loop wrist attachment and there’s a roll down elastic protective sleeve, which make it easy to wear and remove. No dealing with messy laces. Also, I personally prefer faux leather over real bovine leather. It’s a lot more moisture resistant and low on maintenance.
Price
These gloves are quite affordable for the build quality. My boxing coach has used these gloves during his fight in the 1986 United States Amateur Featherweight champion. He said that they lasted seven years. That’s enough testimony for me.
Best features
- Competition-grade gloves
- Budget priced
- Top quality construction
- Lightweight and durable
- Four layers of shock absorbing foam
#3 - Adidas Amateur Boxing Competition Gloves – Best Overall
Adidas Amateur Boxing Competition Gloves, BL, 10 - Review
Adidas doesn’t get as much attention as some of the more popular boxing gear brands. So, I was quite surprised to find these amazing quality boxing gloves from the brand. Wore them for a heavy bag drill and was mighty impressed with the fit, feel and quality.
Build quality
The build quality is on-par with the Everlast gloves. In fact, if it were not for the visible Adidas branding, I would have mistaken this for the same gloves. Identical feel, finish and the hook and loop closure system.
Fit
These gloves offer slightly more padding and protection than the other two. I like the fit and feel of these gloves on my hand. But I prefer a more ‘puncher’s’ style glove. That’s just me though. My sparring partner loves these gloves because he has slightly smaller hands and prefers the extra padding.
Price
These gloves are priced quite reasonably. If you feel that the Everlast is too much of an investment and are looking for a cheaper, real leather alternative, check this out.
Best features
- Real leather
- Competition-grade gloves
- Excellent padding
- Ideal for both, sparring and bag work
- Hook and loop closure
#4 - Fighting USA Boxing Competition Gloves – Elastic – Best Puncher’s gloves
Fighting USA Boxing Competition Gloves - Review
During my visit in December to Savage Boxing & Fitness in Maywood, I saw an amateur boxer wearing these gloves from Fighting. He described it as the ‘Cleto Reyes’ of the world of amateur boxing. That triggered my curiosity and I finally got a chance to test these out last month.
I was absolutely amazed at the feel. These are the ideal Puncher’s gloves, if you know what I mean.
Build quality
These gloves feature the quad-foam layer like the Title gloves that I mentioned earlier. Those are covered by a 100% full-grain leather shell. In addition to this, the hand compartment is lined with a layer of satin. Goes to show that Fighting has worked hard to create a pair of gloves that protects your wrists as well, along with the sparring partner’s face.
Fit
These are the most compact and tight fitting gloves in this list. It’s dense, the wrist and hand protection is top notch and the hook and loop system makes it easy to remove.
Price
It’s a little pricey, I would say. But price is subject to the quality, and at this price point, it’s impossible to find this quality elsewhere. Highly recommended!
Best features
- 100% full grain leather shell with quad-layer foam
- Compact, tight and dense fit on the hands
- Inner compartment lined with a layer of satin
- Thumb protection
- Hook and loop wrist strap
#5 - AMATEUR LACE BOXING GLOVES – Cheapest Option
AMATEUR LACE BOXING GLOVES Review
A lot of amateur boxers prefer buying inexpensive gloves at the start of their careers, because it helps them understand what they really need. For instance, a week into boxing, I discovered that I liked gloves with lesser padding. You might discover that you want more padding or more density, or that you prefer laces over hook and closure loop systems.
In such a scenario, these amateur lace boxing gloves from Ringside make for the cheapest amateur boxing gloves in this list. It’s from Revgear, which is a reasonably well-known brand.
Build quality
The build quality is surprisingly good for budget priced gloves. It features a foam core with a faux leather shell. There are attached thumbs and an inner layer of tricot fabric, which is water resistant. So, even after an hour of grueling practice, the gloves don’t end up soaked and heavy.
Fit
The fit is a little loose for my liking, particularly at the wrist. I attribute it to the lace cuffs. But for someone who’s used to laces, the fit might be great. The feel upon contact is quite good. There’s a decent amount of shock absorption and it’s not overly padded either.
Price
The big draw here is the price. I think that it’s impossible to find a cheaper amateur boxing glove in the market than this.
Best features
- Cheapest amateur gloves
- Foam core with faux leather shell
- Attached thumb and an inner tricot lining
- Decent shock absorption
#6 - CLETO REYES Amateur Boxing Gloves (Now Approved by U.S.A. Boxing)
CLETO REYES Amateur Boxing Gloves - Review
I am sure that Cleto Reyes, as a brand needs no introduction.
These amateur gloves approved by U.S.A. Boxing feature one of the most ergonomic designs that I have come across. The foam padding is excellent, there’s an attached thumb to prevent mishit-related injuries, and there’s an inner fabric layer to keep your hands dry.
The gloves fit quite snugly on my hands and offer a fair amount of protection on the heavy bag. I personally would use these for sparring instead of heavy bag training though.
Best features
- Top quality amateur gloves
- Foam core with real leather shell
- Hook and loop wrist closure
- Inner fabric layer to keep hands dry
- Snug fit, reasonable amount of padding
#7 - TITLE USA Boxing Competition Gloves – Lace
TITLE USA Boxing Competition Gloves - Review
These gloves from Title are quite similar to the gloves I purchased eventually. They have the same, compact feel on the hands, offer very realistic feedback upon contact with the bag and they’ll keep your hands safe even with misdirected hits.
There are two important differences that separate this from my gloves though. This features a real leather shell. Not a faux leather one. Secondly, it features a traditional full palm lace-up closure, as opposed to a hook and loop.
I prefer the latter and a faux leather shell. But if you prefer real leather instead, do not even think twice. This is a top quality amateur glove. You cannot go wrong with it.
Best features
- 100% leather shell
- USA Boxing certified
- Traditional lace up closure
- Compact, secure fit
- Great protection for your hands
#8 - Venum Contender Fight Sports Gloves - Amateur Competition Gloves
Contender Fight Sports Amateur Competition Gloves - Review
Great set of gloves from Contender Sports that features an identical design to the bestselling gloves in this list.
It features a classic design with single-tone color and very minimalistic branding.
IMF Tech foam padding keeps your hands impact-resistant, while the attached thumb will prevent thumb injuries. The faux leather shell is easy to clean and maintain.
Except for the missing inner layer of moisture-wicking fabric, this is as good as the Title Boxing gloves.
Best features
- USA Boxing approved
- IMF foam padded
- Classic design with a single-color
- Faux leather shell
#9 - TWINS BOXING GLOVES- PREMIUM LEATHER- AMATEUR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION - RED, BLUE, BLACK
TWINS BOXING GLOVES Review
Twins is one of the only brands that offers amateur boxing gloves in different weights and sizes. You can choose your gloves from 4 oz. all the way to 18.
A lot of boxers and martial art practitioners that I know prefer using 16 oz. gloves for the bag and a lighter one for sparring. You might want to check these out.
The gloves are quite well made. There’s a multilayer foam core wrapped in a premium leather shell. It features a hook and loop closure, ample amount of padding and there’s a layer of fabric to absorb moisture.
Excellent features at a very reasonable price.
Best features
- Available in a variety of sizes
- Multilayer foam core
- Real leather shell
- Ample padding and an inner fabric layer
#10 - Ring to Cage USA Boxing
Ring to Cage USA Boxing Review
This 10 oz. gloves from Ring to Cage is designed as per USA Boxing specifications for amateur competitions. It features a full grain leather shell and a foam core, which offers a little extra padding as compared to normal gloves.
There’s a safety thumb attached and it has a white knuckle hitting surface which provides realistic feedback.
My only gripe with this is that it features a safety pull over sleeve elastic cuff, which might loosen over time, especially if you wear your gloves every day. But if you only box once or twice a week, you shouldn’t be facing a problem.
Best features
- USA Boxing approved
- Specifications tailored as per amateur boxing competitions
- Full Grain leather shell with a foam core
- A little extra padding
Differences between Amateur Boxing Gloves and Professional Gloves
Let’s clear this, shall we?
Amateur Boxing Gloves
These gloves are designed for amateur competitions, where the aim is to score points, while keeping you and your opponent safe. These are not intended for bare knuckle punching or knocking your opponent out.
So, you’ll find that these gloves feature a little extra padding in the knuckle area. Again, they should help you some when hitting your punching bag, be it a leather heavy bag, an aqua punching bag, or a canvas punching bag.
Apart from this, here are some features.
- They are typically available in 10 oz. and 12 oz. sizes
- Available in Red and Blue only
- Feature hook and loop closure systems with a Velcro strap
- Feature a multi-layer foam core
Professional Boxing Gloves
These are designed to KO your opponent and hence, feature a slimmer, longer profile with lesser padding. The idea here is not to score. It’s to knock the opponent down. That’s what the gloves are made for.
- Lesser padding in the knuckle area
- Available in 8 oz. and 10 oz. sizes
- Available in a variety of colors
- Feature a single layer foam core
What to Look for When Looking to Buy an Amateur Boxing Glove
With so many different brands vying for your attention, it’s quite easy to get lost while shopping for amateur boxing gloves. But in reality, there’s only so many features to consider.
Size
Most brands offer amateur boxing gloves in two sizes only. That’s 10 oz. and 12 oz. The smaller ones are used by boxers who weigh below 140 lbs. and the 12 oz. one is used by boxers who weight more than 140 lb. That said, you might want to check if how well it fits, especially if you have large hands like me.
I used a simple trick. I took a string, wrapped it around the widest part of my hands (circumference) and marked it. Then I measured the string with a ruler or a tape measure. This gave me a fair idea of the gloves that would fit my hands snugly.
Material
Most boxing gloves are mirror replicas of one another. Why, I sometimes feel that they are mass produced in the same factory. Lol. But if you look closely, there are tiny differences in the design and the build quality. I prefer a faux leather shell and a reasonably thick foam padding. Some of my buddies prefer real leather over faux leather. So it’s more of a personal preference.
Brand
My favorite boxing gear brands are Everlast, Title, Fighting and Ringside. That said, there are a lot of newer brands like Revgear and Ring to Cage that also deserve a mention.
Top Boxing Gloves Brands
As I mentioned earlier, there are a bunch of boxing gear brands that I really like. Here they are.
Everlast
Everlast is probably the world’s oldest boxing gear brand, whether it was gloves, boxing shoes (low top or high top shoes), punching bags etc. I have literally seen pros from the 1930s using Everlast gloves. That’s all the testimony that one needs. The gloves mostly feature a classic design and real leather outer shells. They might be pricier than some of the newer brands though.
Ringside
The new kid on the block that’s taken the world of boxing and MMA by storm. Ringside, started in 2002 has fast become one of the most popular brands. They took the classic designs from Everlast and threw in some cutting edge tech into it.
The result, is lightweight, durable gloves that work equally well for both sparring and bag drills. We recently made an article about portable punching bags and ringside had more than one entry on our list, so not only do they make great gloves but also amazing easy to move punching bags.
Title
Title is another brand that started quite recently, in 1998. Their expansion into MMA in 2008 is what put them in the global spotlight though. They are currently, one of the most popular brands in both Boxing and MMA, they even make some cool heavy bag stands too.
FAQ
Here we answer a few questions about amateur boxing gloves.
Can I Use My Amateur Boxing Gloves for Hitting a Punching Bag?
Sure you can. But is it advisable? No.
Ideally, you’d want a pair of separate gloves for sparring and bag practice. Amateur gloves with heavy padding are not ideal for your punching bag practice. You should be using professional boxing gloves for that especially when facing a formidable punching bag like the tire punching bag or the larger, heavier bags.
Can I Not Use a Glove When Hitting a Punching Bag?
Most definitely. I started off with bare knuckled bag practice as well. I believed that it helped my knuckles get a real feel of the bag and also helped increase the strength. That said, as I started to progress in boxing, I started wearing wraps and then eventually gloves because I was concerned about injury.
So, hitting a punch bag without gloves is only recommended when you are new.
What Is the Age Limit for Amateur Boxing?
You can participate in amateur boxing from a young age of 13, all the way till you are 39 years old. So, the age requirements are pretty broad for this category.
There’s a small caveat. You have to acquire your first boxing license before the age of 34, if you wish to practice until 39. That’s it.
Related Readings:
- Backyard Gym Shed
- Cardio After Workouts
- Freestanding Vs Heavy Bags; Why Would You Pick One Over The Other?
- Best Garage Heavy Bag & How To Set up a Punching Bag in The Garage
- How To Measure Fitness Level & Track Your Progress
