The boxing star returned to the ring from a 14 month layoff in style. Just like he never left, ‘Tank’ knocked out opponent Frank Martin with a vicious combination in the 8th round after applying constant pressure from the first bell. Proof of top notch strength and conditioning, that might have something to do with a specific pair of boxing gloves.
Before the bout, Davis’s promotional team had released a number of moody images of the star grafting in the gym. Something noticeable in many of the images posted to his and his team’s social media were the black Hit N Move gloves he was working out with. Tank’s head coach Calvin Ford has knowingly been a big fan of the brand for a while, being one of the first to make use of their unique Turtle Mitts.
But the gloves are a first show on Gervonta Davis and also couldn’t be found among the colorways of the brand’s popular sparring gloves. A quick research and request with the brand unveils the true story behind them, as these are not normal gloves.
Disguised inside a normal size boxing glove, are 24 oz conditioning gloves. Are these the secret behind ‘Tank’s’ flawless shape and enormous power? Boxers are known to shadow box with weights or resistance bands, with many split opinions on the different training methods and their actual effectiveness, as they all slightly alter movements compared to the original motion.
Any boxer will recommend training with a heavier pair of gloves, both for protection but also to add another layer of conditioning to the workout. Usually, 16 to 18 oz are the maximum found in both local and professional boxing gyms, and even the 16oz, depending on the brand, can get bulkier than most athletes are comfortable with.
The Hit N Move conditioning gloves pack 24oz in the size of a 14 oz glove, allowing for natural movements while supplying additional weight. Could you imagine a training camp with these and switching to 8-10 oz fighting gloves after? You would picture any fighter to come out faster and stronger than before.
Hit N Move have been pushing significant innovation in the space of boxing equipment ever since their launch a few years ago. Their first famous invention were arguably the Turtle Mitts, which allow coaches to go through pad work in more natural motions, particularly on body shot placements. The mitts were seen both in Calvin Ford’s open sessions with his star Gervonta Davis, as well as in the popular Creed movies, before they found their way into the top gyms all over the world. Only this month the brand launched their headgear, an ultra-light and slim university science tested alternative to the common bulky models on the market.
Photo: GTD Promotion
The brand seems to concentrate on serious innovation backed from the boxing community rather than gimmicks that sound or look fun but find little use in actual boxing gyms.
As part of our request we asked Ozzie (Ozhan) Akcakaya, the owner of Hit N Move, if Tank was sponsored. He answered ‘not at all – Tank is an athlete who can not be bought, he is at the very top, his coach Calvin Ford is also an honorable person. When we were a new company we remember Calvin Ford placed a large order with us simply because he loved Hit N Move products. If Tank loves it, he will wear it. He is a very peculiar athlete with unique taste. Also, Tank has always had phenomenal power – that’s nothing new and nothing we can take credit for. I don’t know what exact training he used our conditioning gloves for, but it’s obviously a huge honor and feedback for us and our product.’
We would love to see whether other boxers and combat sports athletes are going to integrate the gloves into their training, as they seem to be valued by the top of the boxing scene – with a recent performance that was testament to both knockout power and excellent conditioning.
