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Boxing is a dangerous and punishing sport as it is, and there is no reason your gear should add to that. Gloves might be what the audience sees, but any experienced boxer understands that what you wear on your feet is just as important.
That is why we put together a list of the 10 best boxing shoes, identifying who each pair works best for. We also provide a helpful buyer’s guide, so you can find the boxing sneakers that will improve your technique.
The Top 10 Shoes for Boxing
2020 Boxing Shoe Reviews
1. Adidas Box Hog 2 - All Around Best Choice
Out of all the boxing shoes we reviewed, few models offer the same kind of blend of features that we found on the Adidas Box Hog 2s. For example, these are some of the lighter shoes that we came across, making it easy to employ quick footwork.
Even better, almost the entire shoe employs a synthetic mesh design which makes the Box Hog 2 both durable as well as extremely breathable. This synthetic meth design would otherwise limit the ankle support these boots offer, but the 8 ½” high-cut profile helps account for some of that.
These boxing shoes also use a full-pattern gum rubber outsole to provide plenty of traction, though the outsole thickness tends to favor grip over pivotability.
Verdict:
Adidas Box Hog 2 offers a great value for boxers who need adequate ankle support but favor mobility and punching power.
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2. Adidas Speedex 18 - Lightest Boxer Shoes
Adidas makes another appearance on our list with the Speedex 18 that achieves much of what the prior model does in a slightly different way. For Instance, these shoes go for broke when it comes to mobility, noted especially with the extremely lightweight build that comes in at 316 g or list under 0.7 pounds.
On top of that, the Adidas Speedex 18s also employ a mid-cut profile to further increase mobility. However, these boxing shoes use stability straps around the ankle and heel to provide some ankle support it otherwise would lack.
Verdict:
If footspeed and mobility are your main concern, the Adidas Speedex 18 offers a great mix of lightweight construction and mobile design.
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3. Venum Elite Boxing Shoes - Best Pivoting Shoes
The Venum Elite boxing shoes are not only some of the most stylistic boots we encountered, but they also cover pretty much every basis in terms of the qualities you look for. A good example of this is the mix of materials used for the upper which employs a mesh honeycomb to increase breathability while reinforcing other areas with polyurethane.
On top of that, the Venum Elites provide a rubber outsole with a broken tread pattern that wraps around the side and toe of the shoe. This significantly increases the pivotability of these shoes while still offering a good degree of grip.
Verdict:
The Venum Elite’s broken tread design combined with a wrap-around outsole increase pivotability more than most and make them great puncher’s shoes.
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4. Lonsdale Contender Boxing Boots - Most Comfortable
The Lonsdale Contender boxing shoe provides an excellent value for anyone looking to get a blend of mobility and ankle support. The latter is especially important as these shoes use a high-cut design and reinforce it with a quilted ankle collar and leather ankle straps.
Even better, these are some of the most comfortable boxing sneakers we encountered with a fit that accommodates narrow or wide feet. On the other hand, this is also one of the few boxing shoes we reviewed which does not use rubber for the outsole.
Verdict:
If you want a comfortable boxing shoe with great ankle support at an excellent value, the Lonsdale Contenders have you covered.
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5. Cleto Reyes High Top - Best Leather Boxing Boots
The Cleto Reyes continues to use the same techniques and specs that have made the company one of the most popular choices for training boots for decades. These might be the most durable boots we came across due to the entirely leather upper– the only boxing shoes on our list that do so.
On top of that, the leather upper eschews the need for additional ankle straps while the true boot-cut profile still provides plenty of support. The polyurethane midsole and rubber outsole also offer excellent grip both inside of the shoes and out.
While there is a bit of a break-in period, the side zippers and full-lace design provide a better fit than most.
Verdict:
Using full-leather uppers and a tall boot-cut design, the Cleto Reyes are some of the best traditional boxing boots on the market.
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6. Reebok Men’s - Best Ankle Strap Boots
The Reebok Boxing Boot is another entry that offers a good mix of features at a surprising value. One of the most notable qualities of these boxing shoes is the ankle support which uses the combination of a tall 10” boot-cut design and an external ankle strap to keep your ankle secure.
These boxing boots also use a rubber outsole with a full traction pattern to provide plenty of grip, though the thicker sole may not be the most pivotable. Despite the somewhat bulky appearance, the Reebok Boot is surprisingly lightweight and breathable thanks to a mostly synthetic mesh upper.
Verdict:
When you want extra protection and security for ankle support, the Reebok Boxing Boot is one of the few options on the market for you.
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7. Lonsdale Men’s Low Cut - Best Training Shoes
Lonsdale makes another appearance on our list, but this model aims to target training more than set fights. That said, this approach allows the Lonsdale Boxing Boots to offer a better value than some of the other options on the market.
In fairness, these might be some of the more mobile boxing shoes we reviewed thanks in part to the mid-cut design. However, this cut does not give up too much ankle support as the Lonsdale Boxing Boots still employ a leather ankle collar.
Unfortunately, these Lonsdale boxing shoes also use synthetic outsoles which do not provide the best traction.
Verdict:
If you need a pair of training boots and are looking for a great value, the Lonsdale Boxing Boots have good mobility and ankle support.
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8. Otomix Stingray Escape - Top Wrestling Shoes for Boxing
The Otomix Stingray Escape are technically wrestling and weightlifting shoes, but they find plenty of value inside of a boxing ring too. One thing that surprises most about these boxing shoes is how they can provide such good mobility without sacrificing too much ankle support.
For example, these are the only boxing shoes we reviewed that utilize a hybrid low/mid-cut design to offer some of the best mobility we saw. While this would normally compromise ankle support, the Otomix Stingray Escape employs a leather ankle collar to keep that under check.
These are also some of the lightest shoes on our list at only 1.65 pounds, though they are not the most durable.
Verdict:
The Otomix Stingray Escapes are somewhat unique in that they can maintain decent ankle support with an extremely mobile low/mid-cut profile.
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9. Ringside Undefeated - Best Cheap Boxing Shoes
The Ringside Undefeated boxing shoes enter our list by providing some of the best value that we found, even within the value range of boxing sneakers. Even better, these boxing shoes did not have to sacrifice too much in terms of features with a boot-cut design and multiple points of reinforced ankle support.
Even more surprising, the Ringside Undefeated boxing shoes only weigh 1½ pounds, making them some of the lighter shoes we reviewed. That said, the stiffer upper reinforcements make these have a longer break-in period than most and still not fit as wide a range of boxers as other options.
Verdict:
For the kind of value that the Ringside Undefeated provides, the sheer amount of ankle support and lightweight design delights and surprises.
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10. Otomix Men’s PRO TKO Super Hi - Best Boxing Shoes for Wide Feet
Our final entry is the Otomix PRO TKO which more closely hews to what you expect from a boxing shoe with its mid-cut design. While the mid-cut design helps increase mobility, these boxing boots still account for ankle support with a leather ankle collar.
However, the Otomix PRO TKOs are unique on our list with the use of canvas on the upper, making them some of the more durable boxer shoes we reviewed. Unfortunately, the use of canvas and leather for the upper means the Otomix PRO TKOs are a bit heavier and less breathable than some of the competition as well.
Verdict:
For something a bit different, the use of leather and canvas make the Otomix PRO TKO boxing shoes more durable than many of the other options we saw.
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Top Boxing Shoe Brands
Adidas
Venum
Lonsdale
Cleto Reyes
Ringside
Otomix
Definitive Buying Guide
Why Professional Boxing Shoes Make a Difference
Boxing shoes, like all specialty products, focus on the specific actions and tasks undertaken by their users and improve or reinforce them. This is the same reason that running shoes tend to favor a low-cut or ultra low-cut design and eschew as much weight as possible.
Boxing boots, on the other hand, need to focus on improving and reinforcing your movement in the ring or when making boxing specific movements. These movements favor lateral agility as well as pivoting without sustained action in a single direction.
On top of that, boxers also remain upright in specific postures more often than with many other sports, though this can still vary depending on your style. That said, boxing boots skirt the balance between providing plenty of grip and pivotability, mobility, and ankle support.
While mobility and ankle support are just as important as pivotability, this latter quality defines boxing shoes a bit more than the former two as it impacts your punching power.
What to Look for in Good Boxing Boots
Cut
The cut is arguably one of the more important factors when choosing a pair of boxing shoes as it influences a variety of the most influential qualities. Both the ankle support and mobility rise or fall based on the cut, and many boxers lean to one cut or another in terms of comfort.
- Low – This is the least common type of cut used for boxing sneakers due to the limited amount of ankle support it provides. More often than not, low-cut “boxing” shoes are generalized fighting shoes designed more for MMA or wrestling. That said, low-cut shoes provide the best mobility and are often lighter than other cuts.
- Mid – There are plenty of mid-cut boxing shoes, though the height for mid-cut boxing shoes tends to be a bit higher than for other sports. This cut aims to provide the best of both worlds offering adequate ankle support as well as good mobility.
- High – This is arguably the most common cut of boxing shoe as it provides an excellent amount of ankle support. Granted, you have to give up a bit of mobility for that ankle support, but many fighters see that as worthwhile trade.
- Boot – Boot-cut boxing shoes are the “classic” cut for boxing shoes, though what qualifies for boot-cut today is broader than it once was. That said, this cut generally provides the most ankle support but restricts mobility more than any other cut as well.
Outsole
Alongside the cut, the outsole is another aspect that weighs heaviest when choosing boxing shoes. The main thing to look for is outsoles made out of gum rubber as this material provides better traction on slippery canvas and provides more grip for pivoting.
Still, you usually have to choose between a better average grip or better pivoting with the thickness of the outsole impacting this most. The outsole traction pattern can also play into this consideration with a full pattern providing better grip and a broken pattern offering better pivoting.
Weight
The weight of boxing boots impacts a couple of things with mobility being one of the more important. The lighter your boxing sneakers, generally the quicker you can move your feet.
On top of that, lightweight shoes are easier to wear for longer periods without fatiguing you. That said, it is important to make sure lightweight shoes still provide enough durability for wearing hours at a time.
Upper
The upper refers to the top part of the shoe and has to balance durability with breathability. One way shoe companies accomplish this is by weaving their upper materials into a mesh which makes the upper both more breathable and more durable.
However, some shoes opt to favor durability over everything else, using mostly leather or canvas and sacrificing breathability a bit. A mix of synthetic materials and leather can provide a good balance of durability and breathability with each material used strategically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Boxing shoes should be just tight enough that your foot does not move around inside the upper, along the midsole. This is because any good pair of boxing training shoes will be worn for hours on end, while fight shoes should never distract you from the competition.
Keep in mind that all shoes have a break-in period, so how they feel on your feet when you first wear them is not how they will feel days or weeks later.