Cleto Reyes boxing gloves have been the trusted choice for professionals since 1945, and we are proud to announce that we are the first official Cleto Reyes partner in Switzerland!
Made in Mexico from the very best materials, from premium leather to durable padding, they are built to meet the demands of any boxer. Cleto Reyes competition boxing gloves are made from genuine goatskin, while sparring and training boxing gloves are made from the highest quality cowhide. They are handcrafted under the strictest quality control in their home country, Mexico. With durable latex foam padding, a connected thumb, and a water-repellent inner lining, these legendary Cleto Reyes boxing gloves offer you the highest quality, long-lasting grip, and plenty of enjoyment.
Cleto Reyes boxing gloves have become the preferred glove of world-renowned fighters such as Muhammad Ali, Manny Pacquiao, Mike Tyson, and Oscar de la Hoya. Ike Williams was the first lightweight boxing world champion to wear Cleto Reyes boxing gloves. In April 1945, Ike Williams fought lightweight champion Juan Zurita for the NBA lightweight title. Zurita, the Mexican hero, was ultimately stopped in the second round by Williams, and the Cleto Reyes boxing gloves also managed to last the distance. Approximately 70% of all world champions have trained or fought with Cleto Reyes boxing gloves.
Cleto Reyes remains one of the most popular boxing gloves.
For a family-run company based in Mexico, you could say it had to push itself to become such a successful brand. Now one of the most trusted and sought-after boxing brands, it's hard to imagine that it all started with a boy experimenting with a sewing machine.
Cleto Reyes may be one of the most well-known brands in boxing, but unlike other boxing glove brands, they have resisted the lure of cheap manufacturing from the Far East.
Instead, the company insists on the traditional method of manufacturing its products in a small workshop on the outskirts of Mexico City. They remain a family business with strong roots in their humble beginnings, which allows them to be and remain an authentic and trusted brand in the world of boxing.
The fascinating history of Cleto Reyes' boxing gloves
The Cleto Reyes brand was originally founded by Cleto Reyes Castro. Born in Mexico City in 1920, Cleto didn't have the easiest start in life. At just 12 years old, he had to start earning his own living. He left school to work in a leather workshop, sewing baseball gloves. Due to family problems, Cleto was homeless and slept in the leather workshop where he worked. In this workshop, which he also called home, he began to develop his creative talent. When the workshop was closed for the day, Cleto continued to develop his skills on the sewing machines, learning, testing, and experimenting with leather sewing.
Cleto's love affair with boxing began at the age of 16. He was drawn to a nearby boxing arena and followed the rivalry between Mexico's top three fighters: Joe Conde, Rodolfo Casanova, and Juan Zurita. In 1938, he responded to a newspaper advertisement inviting young people to participate in a boxing tournament. It was the first and last time Cleto entered the ring to fight. Cleto was "beaten up" in the ring, but the spectators were so impressed by his performance that they tossed coins as a token of appreciation for his efforts.
The birth of the Cleto Reyes boxing glove
This event marked a significant moment in Cleto Reyes' life and career. Despite the crowd's support, he decided not to fight again. Instead, he began his career in boxing gloves, using the skills he learned in the leather factory to repair the gloves he had worn during fights. After mending his own gloves, Cleto took another step forward.
He decided he wanted to improve on the gloves he had used in his fights, creating a new and improved version. He spent several years testing, modifying, and perfecting his very own Cleto Reyes boxing gloves. After receiving approval from the local boxing commission to use his gloves, Cleto Reyes' gloves were first used in a world championship fight in 1945.
The growth of the Cleto Reyes brand
By the early 1950s, Cleto had opened his own workshop and sold his boxing gloves to Mexican fighters. Their trainers then helped popularize Cleto Reyes' boxing gloves by selling a pair when they traveled to America for fights.
It wasn't until 1965 that official distribution of the brand began in the United States, which led to growth beyond Mexico. As demand for the boxing gloves grew, Cleto's son, Alberto Reyes, joined the company full-time. This coincided with a deterioration in Cleto's health, but Alberto's entrepreneurial skills would become the driving force behind the company's next generation.
Alberto set about finding new Mexican leather suppliers, introducing improvements to the boxing gloves, such as the use of lighter and more durable leather, and standardizing the product. He also registered Cleto Reyes as a trademark in 1975. Sadly, Cleto Reyes passed away in 1999, but Cleto Reyes boxing gloves are now an established part of the sport, so his creative passion lives on forever.
The company's boxing gloves, which are still based in Mexico City, have been worn by some of the greatest boxers of all time, including Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Manny Pacquiao, and Anthony Joshua. The Cleto Reyes brand now offers a range from headgear to groin guards and has distribution partners worldwide. WBC Merchandise Europe is the official distributor for Cleto Reyes in Europe and the UK.
Cleto Reyes: The Punchers Glove
Cleto Reyes boxing gloves are internationally renowned for their craftsmanship, superior quality, and unmatched reliability. They undoubtedly deserve their rich history in the boxing world. Crafted using traditional methods from premium leather and horsehair padding, these handcrafted gloves have been captivating the world's best boxers for over 50 years. In the boxing world, the Reyes boxing glove is known as the "Punchers Glove" because of its lightweight feel, slimmer profile, and, most importantly, its inner layer of horsehair padding, which tends to flatten and harden over the course of a fight. We've compiled a list of some of the greatest boxers of all time who chose Cleto Reyes boxing gloves for their fights.
The Greatest of All Time
Muhammad Ali needs no introduction. Arguably the greatest boxer of all time, from the "Rumble in the Jungle" to the "Thrilla in Manila," Ali is an icon of the sport. In one of his final fights in 1978, Ali put Cleto Reyes' gloves in the spotlight. Famously, Ali refused to wear the boxing gloves of the sports brand that sponsored him. He was instructed to cover the Reyes logo so as not to jeopardize his sponsorship contract. But once in the ring, Ali had his trainer rip off the tape bearing the iconic Cleto Reyes logo. For Muhammad, the only boxing glove worth wearing was Cleto Reyes'. "I don't fight without Cleto Reyes gloves" - Muhammad Ali Ali wore Cleto Reyes boxing gloves for his final against Leon Spinks to regain his heavyweight title. And he won.
The Pac-Man
Filipino professional boxer Manny Pacquiao also preferred Cleto Reyes boxing gloves in his fights, as they were the "Punchers Glove." His trainer, Freddie Roach, said Pacquiao "didn't feel comfortable in anything else." Manny's choice of boxing gloves was challenged by Floyd Mayweather in 2015, when Mayweather argued that they were not in line with their contract. However, the dispute fell through, and Pacquiao was able to wear his favorite Cleto Reyes boxing gloves.
Mexican boxer Manuel Marquez chose Cleto Reyes as his trademark boxing gloves, and it's impossible to imagine him fighting in the ring without them. Marquez's career in the ring spanned 20 years and 64 fights. His most memorable fights during his long career were against Manny Pacquiao. Marquez and Pacquiao shared the ring four times over the course of eight years. The first fight ended in a draw, followed by two wins for Pacquiao. In the final duel, however, Marquez triumphed in style. He knocked Pacquiao out cleanly in the 6th round, wearing his trusty Cleto Reyes boxing gloves.
Mike Tyson
When "Iron Mike" became world heavyweight champion in 1986, at just 20 years old, he was the youngest boxer ever to hold the title. Tyson's career was famously colorful. He dominated the sport in his early years, but his outrageous and controversial actions, such as biting Evander Holyfield in the ring, tarnished his reputation. One constant throughout his turbulent career, however, was his commitment to wearing Cleto Reyes boxing gloves.
Lennox Lewis
Lennox Lewis was a three-time world heavyweight champion and considered the best of his generation. In one of the last and most anticipated fights of his career, Lennox faced Mike Tyson. Public excitement for the fight was fueled by the pre-fight press conference, which featured a brawl between the two boxers. Lennox Lewis said he had to fight Tyson: "Had I not done it, no matter how much I accomplished, no matter how many other fights I won, there would always have been people who would have said, 'Yes, Lennox was good, but he could never have beaten Tyson.'" In the ring, Lewis defeated Tyson by knockout in the eighth round to retain his unified WBC, IBF, and IBO heavyweight titles; both fighters wore gloves by Cleto Reyes.
George Foreman
A young George Foreman crushed his opponents and became the king of the heavyweight division at the age of 24. In 1974, Foreman faced Muhammad Ali in arguably the most famous fight of all time; "The Rumble in the Jungle." Twenty-three years later, at the age of 45, Foreman was still fighting strong when the WBC offered Foreman an "eliminator" fight against Shannon Briggs, with both fighters wearing Cleto Reyes boxing gloves. The prize would be to face heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis. The "eliminator" proved to be a controversial fight. Although Foreman lost by majority decision, many experts felt Foreman had clearly won the fight.
Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray was involved in many epic fights during the 1980s, including bouts against Thomas Hearns, Roberto Durán, and Marvin Hagler. As an amateur, Sugar Ray won Olympic gold at the 1976 Games and remained undefeated as a professional until his first bout with Roberto Duran in 1980. The two fought three times, with Sugar Ray Leonard overcoming his initial loss to win the second two encounters. For their second bout, both fighters opted to wear Cleto Reyes boxing gloves.
Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield, another famous fan of Cleto Reyes' boxing gloves, remains the only boxer to ever win the Undisputed Championship in two weight classes. The former cruiserweight champion moved up to the heavyweight division in 1988. As a heavyweight, Holyfield won the world championship a record four times. In one of the most famous fights of his career, Holyfield competed in a trilogy of fights against Riddick Bowe in the 1990s. Bowe emerged victorious in their first encounter, but Holyfield recaptured the crown in the second fight. However, in their third and final encounter, Holyfield lost to Bowe.