Amateur boxing gloves, often referred to as competition gloves, are those that are used during amateur boxing contests. In most countries, amateur boxing is very strongly regulated by that country’s amateur boxing association. Protective equipment, such as gloves and head guards, are quality safety tested before being authorised for use in a contest. Most amateur boxing associations demand that the amateur boxing gloves used during contests are approved by the Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA), and this is certainly true at international level such as the Olympics.
AIBA approved amateur boxing gloves have on the wristband a small silver holographic sticker which shows that they are indeed AIBA approved. If you intend to buy amateur boxing gloves in order to compete in them, then you should be aware that you are unlikely to be allowed to wear them by the boxing association officials, either at a club show or at a tournament. As with professional boxing matches, the organiser of the boxing event supplies the AIBA-approved gloves.
Amateur boxing gloves are 10oz in weight and are available in a choice of 2 colours; red and blue. These colours indicate the colour of the corner that the boxer starts the match from. This limited colour choice is a further reason why you shouldn’t buy with the expectation of competing; what if you own a red pair of amateur boxing gloves and you are in the blue corner?
Amateur boxing gloves have a white band across the knuckle area; this is the scoring area of the glove. If a punch lands and this white band is not in contact with the target, then this will be classed as a foul punch and the referee will issue a warning.
The main safety characteristic of amateur boxing gloves is the increased level padding in the knuckle area. This increased level of padding is specifically designed to absorb shock and reduce power and is fundamentally different from the distribution of padding in pro boxing gloves.
The thumb on an amateur boxing glove is not independent from the main body of the glove, this reduces the potential for eye injuries caused by the thumb. The final characteristic is a Velcro fastener wristband. This allows speedy ‘gloving up’ as in the rule book of many amateur boxing associations the boxer must enter the ring without gloves so that the referee may inspect the boxer’s bandages (this inspection takes place in the dressing room before a pro fight).
If you are buying amateur boxing gloves, then you are only likely to use them on punching equipment. They are relatively expensive compared to other types of boxing glove on the market, but they are generally top quality. On a final note, a good coach in a boxing club will not let you use amateur boxing gloves during sparring; they are only 10oz and do not afford the level of protection for a boxer who may spar 15 to 18 rounds per week.
Anyway, here are some products in which you might be interested:
I hope this has helped, be sure to leave a comment. Click here for more top advice on boxing fitness and boxing skills, or go here to find out about all the boxing gloves available.
Something else, the links on this page are affiliate links. This means that if you click on the link and subsequently make a purchase, then I get paid a small commission. You need to be aware of this. Also, the links on this page represent what I would buy if I were buying. I have not tried the specific piece of equipment and as such cannot directly recommend it. However, if I were buying, these are the selections that I would make.
Cheers
Fran
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