Best Boxing Shoes - Buyer's Guide

Which Boxing Shoes Should You Buy?

One simple but sometimes disregarded rule in boxing is to protect yourself at all times. With the right footwear, you’ll be better assisted to oblige this practice. Best boxing shoes will keep you focused on improving your technique. With this being said, use the following tips to find out which shoe in the reviews will help you amplify your style the most.

Best Choice
Everlast New Elite High Top Boxing Shoes
Everlast New Elite High Top Boxing Shoes
Author’s Choice
The Everlast New Elite High Top Boxing Shoes have a Hybrid design for gym and in-ring use. The lightweight upper mesh combines with a premium rubber outsole for maximum traction and stability. Top quality product. Highly recommended!
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Best Boxing Shoes — Overview and Rating

Author’s Choice
Everlast New Elite High Top Boxing Shoes review
Everlast New Elite High Top Boxing Shoes
  • Type: Boxing High-Top
  • Upper: Suede & Microfiber
  • Sole: Rubber
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People’s Choice
adidas Men
adidas Men’s HVC Wrestling Shoe
  • Type: Wrestling
  • Upper: Synthetic Leather & Suede
  • Sole: Rubber
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Premium Choice
Reebok Men
Reebok Men’s Boot Boxing Shoe
  • Type: Boxing Mid
  • Upper: Leather & Textile
  • Sole: Rubber
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Best Budget
ASICS Men
ASICS Men’s Matflex 6 Wrestling Shoes
  • Type: Wrestling
  • Upper: Synthetic-Mesh
  • Sole: Rubber
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Best for Kids
adidas Kids
adidas Kids’ HVC Wrestling Shoe
  • Type: Wrestling
  • Upper: Synthetic Leather & Suede
  • Sole: Rubber
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Best Leather Shoes
Cleto Reyes Leather Lace Up High Top Boxing Shoes review
Cleto Reyes Leather Lace Up High Top Boxing Shoes
  • Type: Boxing High-Top
  • Upper: Leather & Suede
  • Sole: Rubber
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Special Offer

Best Choice
Muhammad Ali Autographed White Everlast Boxing Shoe
Muhammad Ali Autographed White Everlast Boxing Shoe
Special Offer
This shoe has been personally hand-signed by Muhammad Ali. It comes with a tamper-evident label and a letter of authenticity from PSA/DNA. This process helps to ensure that the product purchased is authentic and eliminates any possibility of duplication or fraud. SportsMemorabilia firmly stands behind every product offered on our site with a lifetime authenticity guarantee that each signature is 100% authentic.
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Detailed Overview of Best Boxing Shoes

Author’s Choice

Everlast New Elite High Top Boxing Shoes Everlast New Elite High Top Boxing Shoes
  • Type: Boxing High-Top
  • Upper: Mesh, Suede & Microfiber
  • Sole: Rubber
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The Everlast New Elite is a high top boxing shoe available in black, red and blue colors upon your choice. The material is a perfect combination of open weave mesh, microfiber and suede, so you’ll get lightweight shoes with plenty of room for your feet to break when your boxing. There’s also a small space for a tread which provides moderate stability on a canvas floor. Looking at the toe box, you can change with better confidence since the tips are placed in an angle that’s perfect for getting you positioned into a quick and straightforward trajectory.

Pros:

  • The versatile hybrid design for gym and in-ring
  • Made with high quality Technical Sole and premium rubber outsole to ensure maximum stability, traction, optimal side-to-side movements with no slipping
  • Lightweight and durable

Cons:

  • The sizes with a «half» like 10,5 etc are missing. Only 9, 10, 11 and so on are available.

 

People’s Choice

adidas Men's HVC Wrestling Shoe adidas Men's HVC Wrestling Shoe
  • Type: Wrestling
  • Upper: Synthetic Leather & Suede
  • Sole: Rubber
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The Adidas HVC2 shoes are built for people that are practicing side movement or tend to move in from left to right very quickly. It’s a low top but has a decent amount of support along the ankle, albeit thin. But with this, the product remains lightweight on the feet and doesn’t give the “heavy” feeling when they’re put on for a long time. Use them for a backup to another pair of boxing shoes that you already possess.

Pros:

  • Pivoting becomes much easier for beginners with its flexible soles
  • For a low top shoe, ankle support is top notch
  • The shoes are extremely delicate and lightweight; won’t cause fatigue

Cons:

  • The thin tread may separate from the rest of the shoe early in its lifetime

 

Premium Choice

Reebok Men's Boot Boxing Shoe Reebok Men's Boot Boxing Shoe
  • Type: Boxing Mid
  • Upper: Leather & Textile
  • Sole: Rubber
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The Reebok Mens Boxing Boot is a midsole product that’s also good for in-ring or training practice. Still, you may find yourself using it more for ringside sessions than anything else. It’s a good sparring shoe that’s built to last long on hard surfaces without eroding too fast. Liftoff is also superb, and practice techniques such as jump rope will be much easier to do with its moderate ankle bracing system. Although it won’t break too fast, you may find cuts and bumps on the surface after the first week of use. If you want boxing shoes that appear too dirty early in their lifetime, then you may want to look at some of the others on the list.

Pros:

  • Superb liftoff at the heels, helps immensely during jump rope practice
  • The center strap braces the center of the ankles and assists foot placement when moving at a fast pace
  • Comfortable to wear as a standalone shoe after training sessions are complete

Cons:

  • Dents and scratches shoe up fast on the sides

 

Best Budget

ASICS Men's Matflex 6 Wrestling Shoes ASICS Men's Matflex 6 Wrestling Shoes
  • Type: Wrestling
  • Upper: Synthetic-Mesh
  • Sole: Rubber
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The ASICS Men’s Matflex 6 Wrestling Shoe makes say it’s for wrestling, but you should have no problem using it as boxing apparel. They will guard well against all moisture and give your feet good midsole support. The upper is lightweight mesh. Rugged rubber outsole and supportive hi-top silhouette add to its great features and provide perfect traction. Available in black, grey and red colors.

Pros:

  • Keeps away moisture and and sweat during the entire time worn
  • Equipped with California lasting for superior durability
  • Unisex

Cons:

  • Be careful with sizing. They may run small

 

Best for Kids

adidas Kids' HVC Wrestling Shoe adidas Kids' HVC Wrestling Shoe
  • Type: Wrestling
  • Upper: Synthetic Leather & Suede
  • Sole: Rubber
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The Adidas Kids’ HVC Wrestling Shoe features a bracing system formulated to keep your kid stable on the mat, a feature that’s not often found on boxing shoes. With this stability comes freedom of movement in the midsole and toe box, so you’ll be able to shift your position quickly without potentially ending up with sore ankles. It’s synthetic leather and suede and is available in great white color or back with Adidas famous logo. Use this shoe for ring practice or professional events, you will be satisfied with its quality for a long time.

Pros:

  • The shoes fit exactly the sizing chart
  • Solid and stylish design
  • Flexible and giving freedom of movement

Cons:

  • For the white version the toes part gets dirty quickly

 

Best Leather Shoes

Cleto Reyes Leather Lace Up High Top Boxing Shoes Cleto Reyes Leather Lace Up High Top Boxing Shoes
  • Type: Boxing High-Top
  • Upper: Leather & Suede
  • Sole: Rubber
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Cleto Reyes is known for their high-quality boxing shoes but has ventured into the realm of boxing footwear. These are solid and extremely sturdy for ringside and ring sessions, so whichever you have planned, the pair should perform as expected. However, if you have problems with sweaty feet at the base, you may want to look into some of the others shown. There’s no mesh lining at all, and may make you feel like you’re wearing thick winter socks instead of ordinary boxing shoes. The Lace Ups are best for experienced boxers that need to fight or practice in a specific set of circumstances.

Pros:

  • The exterior consists of suede and leather which helps the shoes age slow
  • The bottoms won’t slide on most surfaces, including a boxing ring floor
  • Can be taken on and off by the zipper, laces, or both

Cons:

  • Heavier than most standard boxing shoes (weighs about two pounds)
  • The opaque materials it’s made from doesn’t provide much breathability

Best Boxing Shoes – Buyer’s Guide

Important Features for Top Quality Boxing Shoes

  • Providing enough stability and grip
  • Premium quality soles to allow you feel balanced
  • Thin and breathable material enough to be light and flexible
  • Fitting snug, true to size and comfortable

What to Look for in Best Boxing Shoes?

Let’s go into details of the main features and differences to find the best suitable for you.

 

Training Out or In the Ring?

Talk to many professional boxers, and the first thing they will ask when giving advice for buying boxing shes is where they will be used. Every trainer shoe has pairs that are used exclusively for either training, ring practice, and actual fights. The reason for this is longevity. Training shoes will usually wear away much quicker, as they will be the product that’s used the most. If you know the setting in which they will be used, then it will be much easier to pick. Additionally, some shoes are better equipped to handle the ring’s canvas and/or concrete floors better. Just remember that you generally will have a better selection on recommended training footwear, since your movements on the gym floor could be minimal or stationary.

 

How to Define Shoe Width

Take a moment to properly measure your feet before you buy boxing shoes. Be sure not to forget about the width either. A boxing shoe’s comfort may change depending on how narrow or wide the pair is. And for ring events, this can determine whether it will wreak havoc on your feet or not, in some cases. Boxing movements tend to be unpredictable, and moving from side to side will be particularly crucial to the space given in your sole. Granted, most boxing shoes aren’t great for support, which is a necessary regression to maintain such foot control. As such, do not settle on a shoe that’s too tight around the midsole.

 

Understanding the Tread (Or Lack Thereof)

Some boxing shoes have tread, while others don’t. And those with tread will generally be very thin and flexible. All of this is to help your freedom of movement since boxing shoes are more about agility than stabilization. Those that don’t feature treads at the bottom will have a simple outer sole that makes that shoes resemble reinforced socks. These types are best for ring practice and official events but may not be well served in some training regiments. For example, if you’re just sparring in a standing position that doesn’t require any movement, then you might be better off with a boxing shoe that has more foot support. Those with straps are featured on beginner boxing gloves, or pairs made for sparring and other forms of training. Laces are what you’ll want for boxing (or training) that involves fighting in the ring. Additionally, you may want to get a pair that has more room for your palms to breathe if your hands sweat a lot during intense training sessions. Most of the gloves with laces won’t have this problem since the stitching will go up toward the upper palms.

 

What are the Best Materials for Boxing Shoes

Boxing shoes are typically made of leather or synthetic materials. They are oftentimes mesh pattered and have thin support for ankle and midsole reinforcement. The inner materials could feature memory foam or polyurethane. At first glance, they almost resemble some running shoes. They may lack a tongue or shoelaces too, and the toe box will sometimes be narrow. Gum is also a popular material seen on those with treads. As for stiffness, the break-in on most is almost immediately due to the lack of support material through the shoes. It’s recommended that you acquire a pair that will make your feet feel as light as possible, though there are some exceptions.

 

Alternative Shoes

Shoes that are good for boxing aren’t always marketed as such. If you’ve already read the reviews above, you may have noticed that some of the brands are wrestling shoes. Wrestling shoes are great for practice, and will sometimes last longer than those build for canvas. You will have more ankle support and thicker tread as well but may find them a bit irritating if you’re training incorporates some fast forms of movement. Jump rope is fine, but sparring with an opponent could lead to fatigue. Factor in your training routine and choose accordingly.

 

High or Low Tops?

High and low tops have their advantages and setbacks. Low top boxing shoes, or those with a low height, have great for speed and breathing room. They can be put on a lot easier and can provide moderate support to the ankle. You won’t get much in terms of reinforcement in the lower legs though. As for high tops, there’s slightly more stability and the shoes may last longer without breaking. If your feet sweat a lot, you may want to stick with the low tops. Use high top if you prefer them personally or need something that can be used at times when you must wear the same pair of shoes in the ring or on-the-ground practice.

 

How Quickly They Will Wear Down

A typical boxer will go through several pairs of shoes in a relatively short amount of time. As mentioned earlier, this is part of the reason why you should separate training footwear from ring shoes. There’s more freedom to try out shoes with better tread when you’re not on a canvas floor, so look into those first if you’re just getting into boxing, as most of your time will be spent outside of the ring. If you insist on going for longevity in ring shoes, look into those with at least some support around the base and ankle. In an intense workout session, you may find your shoes wearing away on the first day if you’re too thin. Because of this, put durability over movement if you don’t plan on going through more than three or more shoes in less than a year.

FAQ

Do Boxing Shoes Make a Difference?

The main difference that boxing shoes make is that they provide a much reliable ankle support in comparison with gym training shoes. And this is a key issue in boxing

Are Boxing Shoes Worth It?

Boxing shoes give you more confidentiality. Your ankles are supported and movements are free.

Why do Boxers Wear High Tops?

When moving in the ring during the fight, the risk of a so called rolled ankle is much less if you are wearing high tops

Conclusion

Now that you’re finished with the reviews and the Buyer’s Guide, it’s time to pick what’s best. Ever boxing shoes reviewed has it’s own individual qualities that set it apart from the rest. Still, Everlast, Adidas and Reebok are without a doubt the best brands of the bunch when it comes to comfort on the ring. They are the shoes of champions, and also have a professional look and feel when worn. Regardless of this, the other eight shouldn’t be disregarded, especially for those that need more than one shoe (a situation that’s highly likely). So whichever boxing shoe you end up settling on, you’re ensured to get a great piece of footwear that’s built to make your movement quicker, jumps higher, and take our mind off the stresses of fatigue in the lower half of your body.