Boxing and Muay Thai share several punching techniques that’s why people often thought it would be okay if they tended to use a single pair of gloves for both sports.
Their moves and punching techniques are very similar, but their gloves are slightly different. The difference is created depending on how you use your hands in sports.
And we all know that we can get the best result only by using proper equipment and accessories; designed for particular games. Before all, you’ve to explore the difference between Muay Thai gloves and Boxing gloves.
Although, we’ve already done the research work on behalf of you. This article will present the key differences to help you decide which one you should get.
Boxing Gloves vs. Muay Thai Gloves: Differences
Shape
The boxing gloves tend to have a boxy rectangular shape. On the other hand, the padding inside the gloves makes the Thai gloves puffier and rounder than boxing gloves.
Padding Distribution
One of the main key differences lay between the padding distributions. In boxing, the boxers have to block only the thrown punches, so the foam padding is much more concentrated around the knuckles and less on the sides.
But in Muay Thai, the fighters have to defend against kicks, knees, and elbows. So, the Thai gloves come equipped with more padding on both sides and the back of the glove. Without full cushion coverage, the hand could get injured with such heavy impact. That’s why I don’t even try to mix things up.
Wrist Support
The boxing gloves have better wrist support than the Thai gloves, including longer and wider padded cuffs. The Thai gloves are relatively more flexible around the wrists, as they have less tight shirt cuffs.
Flexibility
The palm portion of the boxing glove is much more rigid; which helps keep a tight fist at all times with less effort. On the other hand, the Thai gloves keep the palm more relaxed when not throwing punches to facilitate clinching.
Types of Boxing Gloves and Muay Thai Gloves
There are some common types of gloves available for both sports – training, bag, sparring, and competition gloves.
Training Gloves
The training gloves have padding protection all around the hand. The training gloves are suitable for heavy bag sessions and couple practicing.
Bag Gloves
The bag gloves have a small and thin design with an open thumb that promotes accurate bag work. When you hit the bag wearing a pair of bag gloves, the gloves let you apply the better technique with proper hand alignment.
Sparring Gloves
The Sparring gloves are bigger than the others and come equipped with more extensive and softer padding. The gloves are designed to provide maximum protection for putting more power with a full of aggression.
Competition Gloves
Professional fighters use a minimum of 10 oz gloves to defend the opponent. The competition gloves are more compact, provide a better fit for the hand, and the padding is stiffer than the rest. Being more compact, stiffer, and tighter to the hand, you can’t wear the competition gloves without help.
All types are available for both boxing and Muay Thai gloves. You just choose the best according to your preference regarding glove style, weight, aesthetic, used material, and comfort. That’s all!
Boxing Gloves VS Muay Thai Gloves: Which Should You Get?
Highlighting again that you be more specific about what you buy if you want to get the most efficient. You’ve already come across the best features and differences corresponding to the requirement of sport-specific training.
There are many great options from several renowned brands for both sports gloves. So, there is no reason not to use the right pair of gloves specific to the sport.
All gloves come with high quality and average same price tags. You won’t be disappointed choosing any of them. But make sure you’ve chosen the best boxing gloves for boxing training and the same vice-versa with Muay Thai sport.
Can You Use Boxing Gloves for Muay Thai?
It depends on how you actually fight and, most importantly, how serious you are with your Muay Thai training.
For instance, if you just practice the moves of Muay Thai for bodybuilding or fitness aspects, the glove type won’t affect you so much.
On the contrary, if you want to participate in a Muay Thai competition, it’s pretty obvious that you’ll need more protection around the entire hand; otherwise, you’ll get injured.
Conclusion
In summary, you should always consider pure boxing gloves for boxing training and Thai gloves for Muay Thai training. It’s a simple equation; don’t think too much.
Suppose you already have a pair of good quality boxing gloves; that genuinely make you feel comfortable, and you’re about to start Muay Thai training. At this point, you may be a bit confused about choosing between a new investment and being comfortable.
It’s obvious; that most people will tend toward their comfort. Yes, you can start with your boxing gloves, but give the Muay Thai gloves a try. Who knows, you may have shine one day in Muay Thai sports.
