For those who take their boxing career seriously, you cannot deny the importance of quality footwear.
After all, whether it’s the movement in the ring or generating enough power to land the right punch, footwork matters in every aspect of boxing. Without the right kind of boxing shoes, you won’t be able to muster enough power to land a knockout in a professional match.
When in the ring, you’ll need shoes that stay firm on the ground and help to generate enough movement and stability at the same time. An excellent pair of boxing shoes translates to excellent movement during a match.
But getting the best boxing shoes isn’t as easy as selecting the right mouthpiece and gloves, nor is it often accorded the same attention. Today, we’re here with a comprehensive guide on how to buy the best boxing shoes to right this wrong. In the following, you’ll find everything you need to know to settle on the boxing shoe that’s just perfect.
Let’s get in the ring then.
A Brief Guide To Buying Boxing Shoes
Why Do You Need Quality Boxing Shoes?
The first blow that we’re going to tackle is the one question you’re sure to have on your mind: why do I need boxing shoes anyway? Can’t I play the matches in regular trainers or running shoes?
The truth is, that many beginners start in the boxing circuit wearing regular running shoes. But if you’re serious about going pro and taking the game up a notch, the proper boots are a must for improving gameplay.
Boxing is a sport where matches are lost and won in a split second, and you’ll need to wear boots that can keep up with the pace of the game. Everything from the comfort of your feet to the flexibility of movement can make a crucial difference in the ring. After all, boxing isn’t as simple as just punching your opponent without thought.
Here, it would be best if you dealt with fluid body movements, ring cutting, feints, and even physical weight transfers from toes to heels and vice-versa. All the above techniques, along with distance deception, require the use of footwork. And footwork doesn’t work without the right shoes.
Ideally, any shoe you wear for a professional match has to fit your feet snugly; nothing else is acceptable. Even a tiny sliver of space, the slightest looseness, can cost you the entire match.
Further, a well-fitting pair of boxing shoes will give you the required confidence to move across the ring with ease. But saying that is just scratching the surface, for there’s a lot more to learn about boxing shoes.
The bottom line is this: when just starting, you might be able to get by with regular trainers. But once you’ve crossed the newbie threshold, you’ll need to invest in quality boxing shoes to improve the chances of winning.
Factors To Consider When Buying Boxing Shoes
Now that you know why good boxing shoes are essential, it’s time to understand the features and factors you need to consider when selecting a pair.
1. Thickness And Weight
Like regular shoes, your physical dimensions determine the size and weight of the boxing shoes that you’d need. It’s vital to only go for boxing shoes with the right thickness and weight as per the size and shape of your lower limbs.
The thickness and weight of these shoes depend, to a large extent, on the material. The shoes’ weight determines the mobility levels; thinner shoes are more lightweight and allow faster movements in the ring. On the other hand, heavier shoes with thick soles and upper fabric provide better stability and control.
Now, which shoe you prefer depends on your playing style and personal preference. If you like the cohesiveness of movement, heavier shoes are the way to go; for faster movement, lighter shoes are the best.
2. Ankle Support
The next aspect that you need to look into is the degree of ankle support. For any game, be it boxing or basketball, the purpose of wearing sturdy shoes is to protect the ankles. Lack of proper footwear can lead to ankle injuries.
This is crucial in boxing, where you’re constantly changing weights and angles from one foot to another. So, appropriate ankle support is something that you can’t ignore.
There are usually three types of boxing shoes or “cuts”: Low-Top, Mid-Top and High-Top. While we’ll discuss each type in detail in a later section, here, it’s enough to know that the cut determines how far up your legs the shoe extends. As a rule of thumb, the higher the shoe, the more support you’ll get.
In general, if you’re a player prone to leg injuries, we recommend going with a high-top shoe. However, if you prefer more freedom while moving, go with a low-top or mid-top variant. It all depends on your ankle and calf size. You can also buy ankle supports separate from your boxing shoes.
3. Sole Type
The sole type on your shoe will go a long way towards helping the game. Soles affect movements, balance, weight transfer and pivoting, not to mention the comfort factor. A good quality sole will help you keep balance, and at the same time, provide better comfort.
When it comes to professional boxing, we recommend you go with shoes that have grooved rubber soles. Since rubber has an excellent grip yet is light enough, you can generate better speed with soles made out of the stuff.
The next important factor you need to look out for is sole thickness. Thick soles last longer but can make you feel disconnected from the ground. In contrast, lighter soles wear out quickly but help you generate more power with better ground contact.
4. Shoe Material
While talking about boxing shoes’ thickness and weight, we’ve mentioned that the shoe material determines these parameters. Traditionally, boxing shoes used to be made of leather; but now, synthetic materials have come to dominate the industry.
Leather shoes are usually heavier and can restrict your movement, but they are more durable and provide better protection. On the other hand, boxing shoes made of synthetic materials are less durable but offer better mobility due to their lightweight nature.
Recently, technological advancements have given us synthetic leather shoes, which are durable and lightweight. The uppers are synthetic leather in the latest boxing shoes, providing better breathability and cushioning.
5. Size
Finally, any talk about boxing shoes is incomplete without mentioning the size. The size of your boxing shoe will determine how comfortably it fits on the feet. The moment you’re wearing shoes that are a perfect fit, you’ll no longer feel the need for further adjustments.
That said, we recommend you never go with longer boxing shoes as these tend to compromise control—also, the tighter and snugger the fit, the better your in-game movements.
Types Of Boxing Shoes
We’ve already seen that there are three variants of boxing shoes available. Naturally, each type comes with its own set of advantages and features. This section will take a closer look at the difference between low, mid, and high tops.
1. Low-Top
Low-tops are boxing shoes that come just up to the ankles and contain the least amount of material and fabric. This makes them the lightest boxing footwear around, and these help you move around with the most amount of speed. However, they are also the least supportive of your ankles.
2. Mid-Top
Mid-tops offer the Goldilocks zone when it comes to boxing shoes. Their height lies between low and high-tops, and they provide the right balance between speed of movement and support.
In case you’re a person who’s into sideways movements while boxing and like to change angles frequently, then mid-tops can provide the necessary extra support. Even if you’re not fond of side-to-side feints, mid-tops are seldom a wrong choice.
3. High-Top
When it comes to supporting, nothing beats high-top boxing shoes. For those players who like to plant a firm foot and come up straight with massive punches, this is the boot type for you. High-tops are made more for punchers than movers in the ring.
Whichever one you choose to get, we would again advise you to keep the comfort factor on top. If the variant you’ve chosen doesn’t feel right on the feet, please try out a different pair. Believe us; you’ll thank us later!
Advantages Of Wearing Boxing Shoes
Despite the above discussion, you might still have some doubts about exactly how boxing shoes can help while fighting. Let’s tackle that in this section; the following is a list of the advantages of boxing and using quality boxing shoes.
- Enhanced speed and stability
- Greater power generation
- Improved freedom of movement
- Maximised ankle support and comfort
- Better performance
- Smoother gliding ability
- Increased breathability
- Better grip on the ground
Besides, boxing shoes are usually more rugged and durable than regular sports shoes and will last you longer. Plus, they’ll also contribute to the balance by lowering your overall centre of gravity, not to mention the fact that they look drop-dead stylish.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can Wrestling Shoes Be Used As Boxing Shoes?
Yes and no, actually. As with most things in this world, there’s no easy answer to this question. While wrestling shoes are used for boxing, even by professionals, they might not offer you the best traction in the ring. Boxing shoes come with a better grip that’s more suitable for boxing versus wrestling.
2. Should You Run While Wearing Boxing Shoes?
It would be best if you don’t run in your boxing shoes, as this will lead to their degrading faster. At the same time, they won’t protect you against running injuries.
3. Should Boxing Shoes Be Used For Weightlifting?
You can, but we advise against it. Boxing shoes aren’t suitable for weightlifting as they’re not as flat as weightlifting shoes. At the same time, weightlifting shoes offer more protection in the gym if you drop, say, a dumbbell on your feet. So, best to stick with weightlifting shoes when doing weights.
Buying Your Boxing Shoes
That’s all we have to say about boxing shoes right now. Before you put them on, one last piece of advice: make sure you try out the pair properly before hitting the ring. A boxing shoe that doesn’t sit comfortably on the feet will never let you play to full potential. You can also visit our website to view our range of boxing shoes.
You can always reach out to our team if you need any assistance purchasing boxing shoes online.
We’ll be back again soon with more exciting bits of information. Till then, float like a butterfly and sting like a bee!
