Sparring people with smaller gloves than you

[RedZmaja]

I normally bring 16oz gloves to training and most other people have 14oz or 16oz gloves for sparring too. I prefer them because they protect the hands more and it's easier to go close to full at sparring without hurting each other. However you always get some guys who bring 10oz gloves in there. Sparring in my gym is pretty much wild wild west and anything goes. So there are a lot of situations where I have 16oz gloves and have to spar guys with 10oz gloves. You have to overcome their speed advantage with timing but it's obviously quite a handicap.

Do you think I should bring my 10oz gloves in those situations or just take it as a challenge? It's really annoying when you have to bring two pair of gloves.

Do you have any similar experiences?

[McNulty]

I normally bring 16oz gloves to training and most other people have 14oz or 16oz gloves for sparring too. I prefer them because they protect the hands more and it's easier to go close to full at sparring without hurting each other. However you always get some guys who bring 10oz gloves in there. Sparring in my gym is pretty much wild wild west and anything goes. So there are a lot of situations where I have 16oz gloves and have to spar guys with 10oz gloves. You have to overcome their speed advantage with timing but it's obviously quite a handicap.

Do you think I should bring my 10oz gloves in those situations or just take it as a challenge? It's really annoying when you have to bring two pair of gloves.

Do you have any similar experiences?

Sounds like a shítty gym. 16oz don't hurt? I've seen plenty of guys sleeping over 16's and I've put my share of ásses on canvas with 16's.

If anybody tried sparring in my gyms with anything less than 16's they would get booted from the premises. Where do you live dude, Colombia?

Come to America and train at a real gym instead of some corny áss 3rd world gym that's probably covered in asbestos pipe coverings and lead paint chips all over the place.

[Mr.MojoRisin']

Bring both pairs and adjust to what they use. It's not going to kill you, boxing is a tough sport. If glove size is such a concern then maybe you aren't cut out for it but I really don't think that's the case.

[RedZmaja]

I used to spar with 10oz all the time but changed to 16oz to protect my hands and most of the guys in my gym moved on to 14 or 16.

To be honest sparring at full when both have 10oz is great for development, you learn how to defend with your feet more and don't rely so much on covering up, you also get better reflexes IMO since everything is happening faster.

I have no problems going back to 10oz vs 10oz, I just thought if you think it's wise to try going 16oz vs 10oz. I noticed that when I spar against guys with 10oz gloves while I'm wearing 16oz is that I really have to get their timing to make up for the lack of speed and I think I developed some other aspects of boxing more.

[RedZmaja]

Sounds like a shítty gym. 16oz don't hurt? I've seen plenty of guys sleeping over 16's and I've put my share of ásses on canvas with 16's.

If anybody tried sparring in my gyms with anything less than 16's they would get booted from the premises. Where do you live dude, Colombia?

I can't switch gyms, I don't have money to fool around. I'm not a rich westerner. Otherwise it's a good gym especially for me as a big and tall guy because pretty much everyone in the gym is a big guy, we don't have a single boxer that's not at least a light-heavyweight. I have some good sparring partners and I can reject the ones with weird sparring habits anyway, it's not like anybody is forcing me into anything.

However the culture in our gym has always been pretty much anything goes when it comes to sparring and then you have to rely on the guys you trust to get the most out of it. No headgear, whatever gloves you like etc. I know it's not the best idea but I can't do anything about it.

[johnmartinez51]

Sparring is also a learning experience too. You can use the 16 oz -10oz thing as a training tool sometimes but overall 16oz should be used all the time and your sparring should be coordinated by your trainer(s). Wild Wild West? Sounds like your gym is located on top of the titty twister bar from the movie “from dusk till dawn”.

[Ray Corso]

The first you learn with a good trainer is discipline and respect.
Seems as though your gym is void of the essentials to start with. Common sense dictates what size gloves you wear and again discipline matters.

Sounds like your gym is a hang out to just screw around, if no one is teaching I'm sure your friends all have unbreakable bad habits by now. It's not a big deal because
without the basics no one from that "gym" is going to do anything meaningful in the sport to begin with.

So hears a choice for your glove size problem;
Go with a 10oz on your lead hand and an 18oz on the back hand. Wear your head gear backwards along with your protective gear (if you even wear any)

Good luck, hope you have insurance sounds like that call is coming soon.........

Ray

[stephenmc]

As a trainer, I conduct sparring sessions on a weekly (every 2nd day) basis.
And every 2 weeks,I conduct and act as a ref in sparring sessions with clubs across the country.

10oz is perfectly normal (depending on age difference and weight) as long as the padding on the gloves are correct and up to standard. Your sparring to learn,not to to try badly hurt someone,and maybe that is something your gym may be lacking.

For example, anybody under 70kg is generally wearing 10oz,anybody above it is wearing 12,the higher the weight,the higher oz glove you wear.
General rule of thumb,if your fighting in 10oz gloves,you should be sparring with at least 12 to 14oz, but you do not have to.

If you are a big lad,and your sparring a lad either younger,less experienced or lighter than you,then let them have the 10oz to even the odds so to speak.

Like I said,sparring is a learning curve,and been competitive is great, but your supposed to be part of the same team.
Ya its only you in the ring when that bell goes,but it should be a team effort in the end,with all the lads who have helped you spar and all that.

But it doesn't seem that way in your gym, so FCK them, if they are the same weight or heavier,more experienced lads,then you throw on your 10oz,and don't be made a fool of.

Edit:normally i m against over 18s wearing headgear, as you will be fighting without it anyway,..but by the sounds of the gym,I would wear headgear...
It sounds like their gloves are not checked, its all good wearing 10oz,but if their is some padding missing,those 10oz are suddenly 8 or less and become deadly if not life threatening.

[OctoberRed]

As a trainer, I conduct sparring sessions on a weekly (every 2nd day) basis.
And every 2 weeks,I conduct and act as a ref in sparring sessions with clubs across the country.

10oz is perfectly normal (depending on age difference and weight) as long as the padding on the gloves are correct and up to standard. Your sparring to learn,not to to try badly hurt someone,and maybe that is something your gym may be lacking.

For example, anybody under 70kg is generally wearing 10oz,anybody above it is wearing 12,the higher the weight,the higher oz glove you wear.
General rule of thumb,if your fighting in 10oz gloves,you should be sparring with at least 12 to 14oz, but you do not have to.

If you are a big lad,and your sparring a lad either younger,less experienced or lighter than you,then let them have the 10oz to even the odds so to speak.

Like I said,sparring is a learning curve,and been competitive is great, but your supposed to be part of the same team.
Ya its only you in the ring when that bell goes,but it should be a team effort in the end,with all the lads who have helped you spar and all that.

But it doesn't seem that way in your gym, so FCK them, if they are the same weight or heavier,more experienced lads,then you throw on your 10oz,and don't be made a fool of.

Edit:normally i m against over 18s wearing headgear, as you will be fighting without it anyway,..but by the sounds of the gym,I would wear headgear...
It sounds like their gloves are not checked, its all good wearing 10oz,but if their is some padding missing,those 10oz are suddenly 8 or less and become deadly if not life threatening.

ive rarely seen guys (around the same weight) spar in different sized gloves. Not very common I would image?

[stephenmc]

ive rarely seen guys (around the same weight) spar in different sized gloves. Not very common I would image?

Alot more common than you think,
A number of factors come into play tho, such as age,weight and experience.

For example. If their is a 64kg fighter against a 70kg fighter,theirs not a MASSIVE weight difference, both have in and around the same experience, but the 70kg fighter might wear 12-14 ounce, and the 64kg fighter might wear 10oz,or 12 if the 70 lad is wearing 14.
Because the 64kg fighter is going to be fighting in 10oz gloves anyway, he might wear 12 though so when he fights with 10 his hands will feel alot lighter and bla bla bla you know the rest haha.
Where as the 70kg fighter is going to be fighting in 12oz gloves,so might wear either 12oz or 14 like above.

Now the above is a very over complicated look at it haha.
Generally anyone under 70,can wear 10oz,anyone over 70 should be wearing at the very least 12oz.



Under 22’s Men and Women 3X3 Minute Rounds using (10oz gloves 48/49kg-64kg 12oz Gloves 69kg-91+kg )
^^^^^^ guidelines for weight=gloves for upcoming championships