Boxing glove size chart: what size and weight do I need?

Boxing gloves are sized by weight in ounces, not by small, medium and large. Start with your body weight: 12 oz up to 129 lb, 14 oz from 130 to 159 lb, and 16 oz at 160 lb and above. Then adjust for what you'll do most, because sparring usually calls for a heavier glove than bag work. Our gloves come in 12, 14 and 16 oz. Here is the chart, what the ounces weigh, how to check the fit, and how to choose between lace-up and Velcro, or leather and synthetic.

Boxing glove size chart

This is the chart on our PG Professional gloves. The SFX Deluxe comes in the same three weights.

Adjust for what you'll do most

The chart is a starting point. What you use the gloves for matters as much as what you weigh. As a general guide:

If you do both bag work and sparring, a separate pair for sparring is worth having: hard bag rounds pack the padding down, and that padding is what protects your partner.

How much do boxing gloves weigh?

The ounce figure is the weight of one glove. A 16 oz glove weighs about a pound, so a pair of 16s is about 2 lb. Most of the difference between weights is padding over the knuckles.

Glove types and their usual weights

This is general guidance; rules vary by commission and event, so check the current rulebook if you're competing. Our PG Professional and SFX Deluxe are training gloves, made for heavy bag work, pads and sparring.

How to measure your hand and check the fit

1. Wrap a soft tape measure around your dominant hand, across the knuckles, with your thumb out and the hand open.
2. Note the measurement. Bigger hands generally want more room inside the glove, which usually means a heavier glove.
3. Try the gloves on over the hand wraps you'll train in. Your fingertips should reach the end of the glove without curling.
4. Make a fist: it should close comfortably, with your thumb resting in its pocket.
5. The cuff should feel snug around your wrist once it's laced or strapped.

A new leather glove feels firm at first and softens with use, so a snug fit on day one is normal. Our guide on how to clean boxing gloves covers breaking them in.

Lace-up or Velcro?

Our PG Professional comes both ways, so you can choose the closure without changing the glove. Crimson red, Columbian white and cobalt blue are made in lace-up and Velcro; charcoal black is Velcro; black, and black and red, are lace-up. See all lace-up gloves or all Velcro gloves.

Leather or synthetic?

What's in a PG Professional glove

• Genuine leather, anatomically shaped for a natural fist
• Multi-layer latex foam padding, with extra knuckle and wrist support
• Reinforced wrist support that keeps the wrist from bending
• An attached thumb, fully stitched, for safety and proper fist alignment
• A water-resistant lining that keeps moisture out and the weight steady
• Made in USA

It's made for sparring, heavy bag work and every training level, for men and women.

SFX Deluxe

Our SFX Deluxe has a premium synthetic leather shell that's easy to clean, a multi-density layered foam core across the knuckles and a pre-curved shape for a natural fist. A full wrist wrap strap locks the wrist in, the palm is ventilated with a breathable mesh lining, and the seams are double-stitched at the high-stress points. It's black, in 12, 14 or 16 oz, for heavy bag work, pads and sparring.

Two myths

"Heavier gloves hit harder." The extra ounces are padding, which spreads the punch out. A heavier glove makes your arms work harder, but it lands softer.

"One pair does everything." It can, but bag work flattens the padding over time. If you spar, keep the pair with the most padding for sparring.

Example gloves

• PG Professional, crimson red, lace-up
• PG Professional, cobalt blue, Velcro
• SFX Deluxe, black

Wear wraps under them

Gloves pad the outside of your hand; wraps cover and support the knuckles, wrist and thumb underneath, and they soak up sweat that would otherwise go into the glove. Our 180 in hand wraps are 2 in wide, in a stretch spandex-polyester blend, with a thumb loop and a hook-and-loop closure. For a faster start, our quick wraps slip on, with padded knuckles, in S to XL. Both are made in USA.

Training on a bag? See what size heavy bag to buy.

Frequently asked questions

What size boxing gloves should I get?

Start with your body weight: 12 oz up to 129 lb, 14 oz from 130 to 159 lb, and 16 oz at 160 lb and above. Then go heavier if you'll spar.

What size gloves for sparring?

Many gyms ask adults to spar in 16 oz gloves, and some set 14 oz as the minimum. Check your gym's rule; if your chart weight is 12 oz, a 14 or 16 oz pair is the usual choice for sparring.

How much do boxing gloves weigh?

The ounce figure is the weight of one glove: a 12 oz glove is about 0.75 lb, a 14 oz about 0.88 lb and a 16 oz about 1 lb. A pair weighs twice that.

What does oz mean on boxing gloves?

It's the weight of one glove. A heavier glove carries more padding over the knuckles.

What size gloves for a heavy bag?

Use your chart weight. Our PG Professional and SFX Deluxe are both made for heavy bag work, pads and sparring, in 12, 14 and 16 oz.

How should boxing gloves fit?

Snug, with your wraps on. Your fingertips should reach the end without curling, your fist should close comfortably and the cuff should hold your wrist firmly. Leather softens as you train in it.

Do I need a bigger size for hand wraps?

Wraps take up room, so always try gloves on with them. If a glove is only comfortable without wraps, it's too small for training.

Lace-up or Velcro: which is better?

Lace-up gives a custom, secure fit and is preferred by professionals, but someone has to tie them for you. Velcro is quick on and off, with a secure, adjustable fit you can do up yourself.

What oz gloves do pro boxers use?

Professional fights typically use 8 or 10 oz gloves, depending on weight class and the commission's rules. In training, pros usually wear heavier gloves.

Are PROLAST boxing gloves made in USA?

Our PG Professional gloves are made in USA, from genuine leather.

What colors do they come in?

The PG Professional comes in crimson red, Columbian white and cobalt blue (lace-up or Velcro), charcoal black (Velcro), and black or black and red (lace-up). The SFX Deluxe is black.