Buyer guide

Boxing Glove Size Chart: Which Ounce Weight Do You Need?

Boxing gloves are mainly sold by weight in ounces (oz); some brands also give a hand size or hand circumference (TITLE Boxing). Common training weights are 12, 14 and 16 oz. Heavier gloves are used for sparring, and lighter ones for bag work and competition. The right weight depends on your body weight, what you use the gloves for and, in competition, the rules you box under.

Last updated October 18, 2026

Navy leather UMIRX boxing glove with hook-and-loop wrist strap

What does the ounce number on a boxing glove mean?

The ounce number is the glove’s weight, and a higher number means more padding. It does not describe how the glove fits your hand. Common training weights are 12, 14 and 16 oz (FightCamp).

Work glove clamped in a test machine with a printed report beside it

What size boxing gloves do I need for my body weight?

Brand size charts match glove weight to body weight. They do not all agree, so each chart is shown separately.

General and bag-work gloves by body weight

Body weight	Hayabusa (general)	FightCamp (bag work)	TITLE Boxing (bag gloves)
Under 100 lb	—	6–8 oz	6–8 oz (up to 100 lb)
100–125 lb	10 oz	10 oz	10–12 oz (101–150 lb)
125–150 lb	12 oz	12 oz	10–12 oz (101–150 lb)
150–175 lb	14 oz	14 oz	14–16 oz (151–175 lb)
Over 175 lb	16–18 oz or heavier	16 oz	16–18 oz

Training and sparring gloves by body weight (TITLE Boxing)

Body weight	Glove weight
Up to 90 lb	8–10 oz
91–135 lb	12–14 oz
136–150 lb	14–16 oz
Over 150 lb	16–18 oz

What weight gloves are used for bag work and for sparring?

Lighter gloves are common for bag work and heavier gloves for sparring. Hayabusa suggests 10–12 oz (or up to 14 oz) for bag and pad work and 14–16 oz for sparring. FightCamp advises going up one size, about 2 oz, from your bag glove when you spar.

Why are sparring gloves heavier?

Heavier gloves carry more padding, which glove brands say lowers the risk of injury to training partners. FightCamp also notes that a heavier glove does not hit harder. This is brand guidance; we found no official or medical source that sets a sparring weight.

What weight gloves are used in amateur boxing?

In USA Boxing, the glove weight depends on the boxer’s weight. The 2026 USA Boxing National Rule Book sets these weights:

USA Boxing (rule book effective January 1, 2026)	Glove weight
Boxers 143 lb or under	10 oz may be worn (10, 12 and 16 oz are the permitted weights)
Boxers over 143 lb	12 or 16 oz
Masters division	16 oz
Developmental bouts	12 or 16 oz, both boxers the same

Only gloves on USA Boxing’s certified equipment list may be used. Other amateur bodies set their own weights. Check the current rule book for your event before you buy.

What weight gloves do professional boxers use?

Professional boxers in the US usually wear 8 or 10 oz gloves, set by the state athletic commission. For example:

Commission	Rule
South Dakota	8 oz from mini flyweight through welterweight; 10 oz from super welterweight through heavyweight
Minnesota	At least 8 oz for professional boxing; at least 12 oz for tough-person contests
California	Approved professional glove list is almost all 8 oz and 10 oz models (effective July 1, 2026)

How should boxing gloves fit?

A boxing glove should feel snug and firm but not tight, with room for hand wraps (TITLE Boxing). You should be able to make a fist naturally, without pressure on the knuckles (TITLE Boxing; Hayabusa).

Too tight:numbness, tingling, knuckle pain or trouble closing your fist (Hayabusa).
Too loose:your hand moves inside the glove and your wrist feels less stable (Hayabusa).
Wraps change the fit.Try gloves on with the wraps you train in. Measure around your knuckles with a soft tape if a brand sizes by hand circumference (Hayabusa).
Breaking in won’t fix the wrong size.A glove that doesn’t fit only breaks down; most good gloves take about 5–15 sessions to feel natural (Fairtex).

Do MMA gloves use the same sizes?

No. MMA gloves are much lighter than boxing gloves. The Association of Boxing Commissions’ 2009 Unified Rules report sets a minimum of 4 oz, and New Mexico allows 4 to 8 oz. For training, brands list 6–7 oz hybrid gloves and 7–8 oz sparring gloves (Budo Online, Fairtex).

Boxing gloves lined up from small to large with a measuring tape

Making boxing gloves for your brand?

Plan your size run around the charts above, because those are the weights your customers will ask for.

UMIRX makes leather boxing gloves to order in Sialkot, Pakistan. Custom gloves start at 100 pairs per design, after a paid sample (US$40 for a boxing glove). Production takes about 29 days after you approve the sample.

See custom boxing gloves, or compare materials in leather vs synthetic boxing gloves.