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Why Do Boxers Wear Boxing Robes?
It’s the big game. Manny Pacquiao enters the arena to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. We all
look in anticipation and wonder…why exactly do they enter the arenas wearing hooded robes?
Boxing robes are satin bathrobe-like garments that usually have hoods. These come in various colors and each has specific designs especially when the wearer is a professional boxer. These pieces of clothing are available in many online stores like TitleBoxing.com and Everlast.com. Robes vary in price, although the more common ones may range from $49.99 to $59.99 for ¾ length robes and $49.99 to $80.00 for full length robes.
So, why do boxers wear robes when entering the arena? Just before the fight, boxers do not just sit around and wait. They warm up and practice in their dressing rooms. Warming up is important for several reasons:
- It causes the release of adrenaline. This, in turn,
- Increases the heart rate, allowing oxygen-carrying blood to flow faster
- Increases the production of fluid in the joints to minimize friction and prevent injuries
- It increases the temperature of the muscles
- Making it easier for oxygen to separate from the blood and be used by the muscles
- So that these are more elastic
Because of these (and other reasons not mentioned), the boxer’s performance is improved.
Now, when the boxer leaves his dressing room, he will be entering several air conditioned areas, including the arena. Without a robe over his body (and we know that professional boxers fight half-naked), the temperatures of their bodies can easily go down, matching the temperature of the air around them.
So why wear one with a hood? The first reason is because 40 percent or more of the adult’s heat is lost through his or her head. (Incidentally, this is the reason why mosquitoes hover over our heads after dusk.) To additionally keep their bodies warmed up, boxers enter the arena with their heads are covered by a hood.
The second reason is because boxer’s hooded robes look like the stereotypical hooded executioner of the medieval times. Remember? Those who behead people using an axe? Some boxers, like Charles L. "Sonny" Liston, may actually stir fear in their opponent.
Finally, boxing robes are so easy to get out of unlike other garments that preserve heat. Or would you rather wait a few minutes for Manny Pacquiao to kick out of his track suit?