There is a necessary and very interesting question: How to bandage your hands?

How do you bandage a boxer's hands?

I will make some comments in a general way, but not in a simplistic way that pretends to cover everything at the same time.

The bandaging of boxers' hands encompasses different forms and styles of bandaging. Each country, even in the USA, each state allows different hand wraps. I personally use gauze or bandage and a roll of tape on each of my boxers' hands. Using more tape does not add power to the punch, it simply protects the boxer's hands.

The most important thing one does when bandaging a boxer's hands is to protect them, not to add power to the punch. You establish a good base, starting with gauze or bandage, then bandage around the wrist first. Now, heavier weights definitely need more gauze and tapes for each hand. It also helps to have an idea of the area where the breaks arise, the knuckles, so you can put extra gauze on those areas.

When I sell, I use all the gauze in my hand, to make the best fist to my boxer, the hardest possible fist, and if I am trying to make it very hard, it is because it is allowed, at no time you can do what is not allowed, and one very important thing, you CANNOT MAKE A BANDAGE WITH ILLEGAL THINGS, ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES, THAT IS ILLEGAL, AND CAN HARM THE HEALTH OF ANOTHER BOXER. Under no circumstances, under any justification we can do by a "cheating" bandage, damage to an opposing boxer, that is illegal, sanctioned and penalized, with the laws of boxing and criminal laws. After the gauze, I use the tape to make the part of the wrist and hand, without crossing the knuckles.

The question is that the boxer does not hurt his hands, because the boxer is hitting with his knuckles, therefore it is allowed to catch.

gauze and tape so you don't hurt your hands. I use the tape also in strips between the fingers but never use anything over the knuckles, everything has to be one inch back from the base of the knuckles.

But extending the concept of HAND PROTECTION, the most important thing when bandaging the hands is to protect these three areas: the back of the hand, the wrist and the thumb. Over the knuckles, padding can be made to protect them, so that there is no direct contact.

I repeat what I always say about the bandage, and here I will repeat it several times, personally, I believe that all the gauze or bandage and tape in the world can not add force to the blow, all they do is protect the hands, as long as you do not put tape or tape above the knuckles, and that does not worry me because that is a rule of vigilance and protection of all national boxing commissions throughout the world.

Most European and Hispanic trainers do not use as much gauze or bandage as American trainers, but they do use excessive amounts of tape, which becomes like a "plaster cast", which makes people linked to the boxing world say that the gloves are "loaded" due to the excess of tape used, which makes them feel very hard, very heavy when the opponent receives the blows.

This type of bandage does not allow the bones of the hand to move, and any hitter would love to have their hands bandaged like this as it is safer for them and they feel more confident to throw the blows, which can also be thrown as hard as possible, as with this type of bandage there is less chance of hurting their hands.

I reiterate my criteria, that this is only allowed if it is legal; if it is not legal, you can not make a bandage of this type, but if the length of the gauze or bandages and also the length of the tape is met, and the knuckles are not protected with tape, then why not do it.

I am of the criterion that in each bandage of each boxer, there must be an inspector who controls and monitors that the rules of making a bandage by law are complied with.

All trainers, boxers and all commissioners should know exactly how much gauze or bandage, tape or tape they need and how to bandage the hands. Therefore, if someone deviates from that path, there should be an injunction and a protest.

The rules of professional boxing in most countries around the world stipulate that between 105 and 154 pounds you can use 10 yards of gauze, they don't care how you apply it; heavier than 154 pounds you can use 12 yards of gauze, and they don't care how you apply it either. The rules of professional boxing in most countries around the world say that the allowed amount of tape is 8 feet, and that's not much; a roll of tape.

If the tape is 10 yards, generally a trainer can bandage with 3/4 to a full roll, and there are no complaints, as long as the tape is one inch behind the knuckles. Tape and gauze can only be affixed to the knuckles when used between the fingers, but that is to ensure that the tape does not loosen and pull back. Those are the rules, and they must be enforced for the good of the boxers, for the good of BOXEO.

The padding of the knuckles: basically the first thing I do is to make a little padding to protect the knuckles, because that is where most of the impact is going to come from. When you hit the other fighter, the knuckles are the ones that take the impact of the punch. So, I make a little protective padding depending on the boxer, my boxers with gauze and after I use about 5 yards of gauze, 2 for the bandage and one for the padding, I use a lot of tape (as long as it is allowed) which is very important to protect the boxers' hands, I make sure they have their hands secured, not too tight; then I make the tape strips.Each trainer has a specific amount of tape that they like to use.

But, in truth, I don't believe that the bandage on the hands dictates the impact of the punch. The fighter either hits or doesn't hit. The whole purpose of the tape is to protect the hands, and it does not make the fighter a better puncher.

It is necessary to remember that most of the national professional boxing commissions in the world do not provide the gauze and tape to the trainers for their boxers on the day of the fight and this makes each trainer have his own amount of gauze and tape that he brings and of course some are smart and use a little more, others a little less.

There are fighters who prefer less gauze and more tape; others prefer more gauze and less tape; and others prefer a sharp padding on the knuckles and others do not prefer that much padding and sometimes they want it normal and I have seen the case, that they do not even prefer it because they understand that this padding takes away their punch, protects the opponent boxer more. There are fighters who don't want to use a lot of gauze, who like to feel their hands when they hit a punch. There are fighters like that, they don't care about gauze. The gauze is used to protect the hands, the only variable is the amount of tape that is used, it can only help the impact a little bit but at the same time, it is only protecting the boxer's hands, and the bandage does not make him a better puncher.

When you have doubts about a bandage; when you think that a bandage has been adulterated; but the fight is over; ask the commission on duty, that bandage, to inspect it at first sight, to inspect it instantly; if you see something that falls under the chapter of "prohibited", then give the bandage to the commission; it is the first thing to do when a bandage has been adulterated, out of sight of you.At present there are national commissions, like the one of the Federal District in Mexico that after each fight they ask for the bandages to each boxer in turn and review it to see if there has been any fraud and anomalies in the confection of the same.