Boxing is a beautiful sport. If you felt inspired to start boxing after watching professionals fight you need boxing equipment. You might be asking what equipment do you need for boxing. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. In this article we are going to go through everything you need to get started in boxing.
Why Should You Do Boxing?
Boxing is one of the most challenging but rewarding sports to do. If you’re first starting out it can be really hard but once you carry on going, you build your fitness. It’s like Pringles. Once you pop, you can’t stop!
Not only that but boxing actually increases confidence and self esteem. As time goes on your skill will get better and you will become a better boxer and because of that you will your confidence will naturally increase. When your skill increases at something people tend to naturally become more confident at doing something.
As much as people think of boxing as a physical sport, there is a massive mental aspect to it.
The sport of boxing is probably one of the most physically demanding sports and helps improve overall athleticism and fitness. Tons of people have made phenomenal transformations by doing boxing training.
In fact this guy lost 96 pounds in 11 months doing just boxing training. Tyson Fury lost 130 pounds in just over 12 months preparing for his comeback to boxing. They are not the only ones, there’s tons of people who can credit give credit to boxing.
Not only does boxing help physically but it’s also proven to deal with and help overcome depression.
Many people in the past have used boxing as a way to overcome depression. While you are doing boxing your mind is preoccupied and concentrating on boxing. Its focused on something else. As well as that while doing a boxing workout your brain releases endorphins which are hormones that basically make you feel good.
In fact Prince Harry used boxing as a way to overcome depression when his mother, Princess Diana, tragically passed away.
Research has also shown that boxing helps people with Parkinson’s and helps patients of Parkinson’s feel relief from the pain.
There are so many reasons you should do boxing, check out our article for more reasons why you should take up boxing.
What equipment do you need for boxing?
Some of the equipment you need is for the safety of your and your opponent. These are the things we recommend you get if you are serious about boxing.
Head guard
If you are going to get started in boxing you need a good head guard. You want to protect that noggin so you need a top quality head guard. Good thing we do head guards. Amazing head guards at that as well. They offer full protection for your head, are super comfortable and we offer full customization.
If you are doing just bag work or mitt work then you won’t need a head guard.
Are you sparring? Then you will need a head guard. If you are a beginner, it is highly recommend that you wear a head guard.
Head guards protect your head and absorb any impact from punches to the head.
Gum shield
If you are sparring you need a gum shield. If you get punched in the face (it doesn’t hurt as much as you would think), you want your teeth to be protected. A quality gum shield offers adequate protection that your teeth and gums will need.
Gum Shields are essential if you want to spar. You don’t want to lose all your teeth if someone hits you in the face do you? (that’s a joke by the way!)
Obviously you don’t need a gum shield when sparring but you definitely will want to wear one when you are sparring, otherwise you might be holding some of your teeth in your hand!
Hand wraps
Boxers wear hand wraps underneath their boxing gloves so they get added support for their wrists and hands. Hands for a boxer are the tools of the trade for boxers. They use their hands the most. To punch, to defend and so much more. So it makes sense that you protect them the most.
If you injure your hands or something happens to them during training, you’ll be out of action for a little while until your hands recover.
Hand wraps act as a layer of protection and support before you actually wear your gloves. Pro boxers and amateurs always wear hand wraps underneath their gloves.
Hand wraps are pretty inexpensive and a good pair of hand wraps can be bought relatively cheap. However if you are serious about boxing then we recommend getting Fortress fast wraps. They offer unrivaled hand protection and are much quicker to put on. They can be a bit pricey but its definitely worth it if you do boxing regularly and are serious.
Boxing gloves
The main tools. Boxing without boxing gloves is like playing golf without a golf club or playing football (or soccer) without a football. It just doesn’t work.
Boxing gloves add a tremendous amount of protection to your hands. They’re there to give you the added protection so you don’t break any bones in your hands. Your hands are very fragile so you need to give it the proper protection it needs.
We have you fully covered when it comes to boxing gloves. Fortis Renegade boxing gloves offer exquisite protection and fully protect your hands and knuckles.
Renegade gloves have double straps so they add phenomenal protection for your wrists. Not only that but they are made using goat skin leather and are super durable.
You never want to use cheap, flimsy gloves as they could harm your hands when punching. They do more harm then they do good and they’ll rip in a month or two. But with the Renegade gloves we only use the very best leather.
If you prefer to have some boxing gloves custom made for you, we can design and manufacture them for you. They will be custom to how you want them and will have the design and style you prefer. Whatever size you want or if you want laced gloves or velcro, we have you covered.
Lace up vs Velcro
The two most common boxing gloves you can get are either lace up or velcro. There’s pros and cons to both glove styles. Lace up gloves are generally used more for sparring as they provide more of tighter fight and are slightly longer than velcro gloves.
With laced gloves you can tighten them up to how you want. They are mostly used by professional boxers and you probably won’t see many beginners wearing them. Lace up gloves do offer more padding in the wrist
Velcro gloves or hook and loop gloves are easier to put on and take off and are quicker to put on. You’re also able to put them on yourself without the aid of a friend. However with lace up gloves, it takes slightly longer to put them and you will need the help of someone else to tighten the second glove.
If you’re a beginner or just do boxing for fitness then it’s recommended you use Velcro/hook and loop gloves. If you’re more serious about boxing then get a lace up pair of gloves.
What size do I need?
Boxing gloves come in different weight sizes. The size of the glove is based on the boxers own weight. So the heavier the boxer is the bigger gloves they’ll need.
When sparring 16oz gloves are the standard. They have the right amount of padding and protection to protect you and your opponent properly. If you want to do bag work or mitt work then you can use whichever size you prefer.
Boxing gloves weight is measured in ounces (oz), if you’re wondering which size do I need check out the table below.
| Boxer’s Weight | Hand Circumference Without Wrap | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 90-120 lbs. | 5.5″ – 6.5″ | 12 oz |
| 120-150 lbs. | 6.5″ – 7.5″ | 14 oz |
| 150-185 lbs. | 7.5″ – 8.5″ | 16 oz |
| 185 lbs & over | 8.5″ – 9.5″ | 18 oz |
Groin Protector
Groin guards are just that. To protect your lower area and help with mobility and flexibility. When you are sparring as well as a head guard, gum shield and boxing gloves we do recommend wearing a groin guard.
You’d be surprised to hear how many times a low blow happens in an intense sparring session. And if you’re a male, you definitely know how much it hurts when you get hit in the groin. Wouldn’t even wish that sort of pain on my worst enemy!
If you are sparring you’ll need a groin guard, if not then one won’t be required.
Boxing shoes
You might be asking yourself, why can’t I just wear running trainers? Aren’t they just good enough?
The answer to that is no. Running shoes are just that. They are designed for running, while boxing shoes are specifically designed for boxing. If you’re serious about boxing it’s good to invest in a pair of boxing shoes. Boxing shoes have the right amount of grip for you to be able to slip, pivot and do all your footwork.
Not only that but they are designed to be light so you can move around quickly and be nimble on your feet.
Looking for quality boxing shoes? Look no further! We can design and make your perfect boxing shoes. Fortis boxing shoes are made to be lightweight, comfortable and are designed specifically for boxing.
We can make your shoes in any colour of your choice and in your own style.
Skipping Rope
A skipping rope is not really required but its a fantastic way of conditioning your body and getting a cardio workout. Professional boxers past and present like Muhammad Ali, Roberto Duran, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and many more prefer to use the skipping rope.
Skipping can improve footwork, coordination, fitness and so much more. The benefits to skipping are almost endless. Just doing a couple of minutes of skipping can have you panting for your breath.
Boxers usually use jumping rope as a way to warm up. Usually they will do a few rounds of skipping to warm up properly before moving onto their actual boxing training.
If you don’t do skipping, you should. It’s pretty inexpensive to buy a rope and will be worth it.
Apparel
You need bad ass apparel to wear when you’re working out. And what better way of doing that then getting some Fortis apparel. We do t-shirts, hoodies and much more. Also if you’re looking for fight shorts or custom tops for your fight we also do them.
Conclusion
Boxing can be a great sport to do. Whether you are doing boxing just for fitness, self-defense or want to start competing, it will whip you into shape and improve your as a person.
We hope this post helped answer your question to what equipment do I need for boxing.
If you are a beginner in boxing then we recommend you join your local boxing gym. Not only will they teach you properly, they will correct you when you are going wrong and tell you where you can improve.
However if you are just doing boxing for fitness or want to train at home then just get a heavy bag, maybe some mitts and a pair of boxing gloves and start practicing at home.
Looking for training routines to do at home? Here’s Floyd Mayweathers, Muhammad Alis and Mike Tysons.
YouTube is also a great place to learn more about boxing, if you don’t have a boxing gym nearby.