6 Best Nike Boxing Shoes for Women: Boost Your Performance!

Truthfully, across all brands, there isn't that much Boxing footwear designed specifically for women, if you compare it to the broad selections for men. Correspondingly, for those who are brand-loyal, in this article, we will review the best Nike Boxing shoes for women.

Shoe quality, design, and comfortability are important to anyone’s performance. Not only does it give us a boost in performance, but it actually also protects our feet from injuries.

It is important for women to wear shoes that are specific to their gender. Women’s shoes tend to be different in design to cater to the structure of their feet. Fortunately, the market is full of them, and you just need to pick the best!

Nike, a worldwide leading shoe brand offers tons of women’s shoes. If you’re looking for the best to wear for your boxing training, then this content is perfect for you! In this review, I will list some of the best shoes Nike has to offer that suit your boxing needs.

I also reviewed other combat sports brands in the past. You may check them out if you like Adidas Speed 50 Boxing Gloves Review, Best Kickboxing Gloves For Women, and The Best Boxing Gloves For Women.

About Nike

Nike is a household name. The brand really needs no introduction, the same with its ever-popular “The Swoosh” logo.

The band was founded in 1964 by Bill Bowerman, he was a former track-and-field coach at the University of Oregon. Back then, it was formerly called Blue Ribbon Sports. They retained the brand for eight more years before renaming it Nike in 1978.

Since the opened its first retail stores back in 1966, it has seen rapid growth throughout the years and is still one of the most recognizable sports brands today. It may not be accurate but almost all of us, at some point in our lives, have owned at least a pair of Nike shoes, or even other Nike apparel.

Of course, when we hear Nike, we might immediately associate the brand with Air Jordan as it is probably Nike’s most popular and profitable product line. In fact, they are still in production today and continuing their development.

The Nike brand is popular for its trainer shoes, casual shoe, and specific sports shoes for basketball, volleyball, tennis, and golf. The brand has also extended its product line to combat sports, and most notably to boxing.

Boxing legend, Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao has worn a customized Nike HyperKO in some of his matches. Other prominent sports celebrities that have endorsed Nike include Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, and Mia Hamm.

Although Nike offers boxing shoes, it seems that there is less to offer to women boxers. However, there is no need to worry because they have CrossFit and training shoes that can be used for boxing training too.

Why Is It Important To Wear Proper Boxing Shoes?

One of the important things in boxing is how you effectively initiate your footwork. In fact, it is an essential skill that every boxer needs to learn. Having a decent footwork helps you put yourself in perfect positions to throw and land punches, while also staying defensively sound in order to evade.

Footwork also keeps yourself balanced and flowing naturally as you move around the ring, making it harder for opponents to figure you out. Champions like the great Mohammad Ali,  Floyd Mayweather Jr, Vasiliy Lomachenko, and Canelo Alvarez, all had amazing footwork, testament to their greatness.

One thing is for sure, they all had excellent footwear for them to be able to move so well. Training your footwork means that you will spend majority of your training sessions with footwork exercises. Not having a good pair of shoes will not help you in that.

You see, if you are not using decent shoes, the tendency is that you will build blisters, injuries, and bruises to your feet, which hurts a lot to the point that you would need to pause training for a while. To prevent this, it's just an easy solution of having shoes that are comfortable and suit you well.

To ensure the quality of the shoes, I suggest sticking with recognizable brands like Cleto Reyes, Everlast, Reebok, Puma, Adidas, or Ringside. You can never go wrong with these brands, but one brand that you may want to consider is Nike.

Buyer's Guide

It is important to use proper boxing shoes because of the nature of the sport. One of the fundamental skills in boxing is footwork. To effectively initiate speed and agility and to be able to create angles, you will need to practice your footwork.

With this being said, it is of extreme importance to select the best possible pair of shoes that can help you improve your skillset. There are several factors to consider in selecting the best boxing shoes that suit your preferences. Some of the essential factors to take note of include the following:

Quality

First and foremost, it is better to stick with reputable brands to ensure the quality of the shoes you’re using. The overall quality of the shoe will likely dictate how well the shoe will fit your preference.

Most high-quality shoes also are the better ones in terms of durability. If you’re planning to buy shoes, remember to prioritize quality over quantity. It’s better to buy the pricey ones instead of those cheap but fragile ones.

Comfort

The level of comfort may vary depending from person to person. With this having said, such a factor is based on the person’s personal preference.

You could get an idea of how the boxing shoes are by looking at extensive reviews of the brand on YouTube. To make sure that the shoe you are planning to buy will be comfortable, it would be good to make personal measurements on your feet and compare them to the product specifications.

Grip

The grip is an important factor to consider because it allows you to keep your balance. Also, balance keeps you away from potential injuries. With boxing requiring constant foot movement and bursts of speed, having a sole with a good grip will be necessary.

Different sole materials have different grip strengths. They also have different applications. Since it is for boxing that you are gearing on, then it would be better to opt for rubber ones.

Weight

The weight of the shoes depends on your personal preference. Surely, its weight provides specific advantages over the other. For example, lightweight shoes give you the advantage of more movement and much faster footwork.

On the other hand, a heavier pair of shoes offer more stability and protection. It’s really up to you which weight you’ll choose, but you can never go wrong with either.

Ankle Support

Boxing requires a lot of movement. As I discussed earlier, one factor that dictates your movement is footwork. As you move around and improve your footwork, you would be using your ankles a lot. 

In fact, ankle injuries are one of the most common injuries that forces Boxers to stay out of training for a while until the injury has healed. Therefore, injuries may likely occur if a proper pair of shoes weren’t used.

Top 3 Nike Boxing Shoes for Women

As I mentioned, Nike don’t seem to offer much boxing shoes with women. While although they have had, but those are customized or limited editions. But, you can definitely use their CrossFit product lines if you’re keen on using Nike in your boxing training.

Anyway, they are excellent for boxing as well, so everything is dandy if ever you want to use this pair of shoes. CrossFit or trainer shoes are naturally sturdy and durable. You can rely on them during long hours of workouts.

These types of shoes can last long, even if you use them on a daily basis. Some of the best features of CrossFit training shoes include versatile, comfort, and grip. Since CrossFit training would require a person to train for longer hours, such factors are essential to help the wearer move up their game to the next level.

1. Nike Free Metcon 3

The Nike Free Metcon 3 has a sturdy built. It is very durable that can last long hours of training. The sole of the shoes is made of quality rubber that induces an excellent grip as you move around and improve your footwork.

Such a feature also provides stability that reduces the likelihood of injuries related to slipping. The only downside of the shoes is its low-cut design, which may feel like your ankles aren’t supported. But its amazing grip compensates for that, so no worries there.

Another minimal drawback that you may find is that the front end of the shoes is a little more solid than needed. Thus, it may cause bruising on the toe area to some people. However, the shoes combines flexibility and stability, which will hep you get the most out of your training.

The design is aesthetically pleasing to look at, simple yet stylish. Overall, the Nike Free Metcon 3 is a great buy for a Crossfit shoe to be used for boxing training.

2. Nike Free Metcon 5

The Nike Free Metcon 5 is one of the best Crossfit shoes around that can help you perform at your highest level. Like its predecessors, it is durable that it can endure extensive boxing training. They are versatile yet durable that’s built to last for many years.

Its difference from the previous versions is that the V5 feature of the shoes splits into a firm and soft insoles. This is the most notable function of the shoes, its comfort factor. It is very soft and snuggly fits on your feet. Such a factor provides comfort and makes your training a more enjoyable experience.

If you have other activities than boxing, then the Nike Free Metcon 5 is your perfect partner for such endeavor. As mentioned, this pair of shoes is one of the Crossfit shoes in the market. You can definitely bring them for your gym workouts, weightlifting, or running, you name it.

3. Nike Women's Metcon Flyknit 3 Training Shoes

The Metcon Flyknit is another product line of Nike for Crossfit workouts or training sneakers. This brand integrated the features of past versions that made them successful. It includes factors such as lightweight, versatility, extreme comfort, and amazing grip.

These factors are not only valuable to Crossfit training but for combat sports also, as I explained earlier. First and foremost is the grip, such a factor helps you to maintain your stance as you attempt an attack.

The outstanding grip of the Nike Women’s Metcon Flyknit 3 Training Shoes also allows improved balance. Thus, it prevents any feet or ankle-related injuries. One of the improvements of this brand from the previous version is that it is more durable.

The manufacturer added more synthetic overlays to improve the longevity of the shoes. For this reason, you no longer have to worry your shoes being worn out easily.

Again, you can also use them for other fitness activities like gym workouts, Crossfit training, running, or walking. Or other sports like basketball. You can also use them for mild hiking or just for casual purposes as well. They also offer a wide range of designs and color combinations.

4. Nike Free TR8 Women Boxing Shoes

The Nike Free TR8 shoe is designed for gym/HIIT/Cross Fit/Boxing training purposes. This shoes actually is an upgraded version of its previous designs, and it's features are better than ever. 

What's great about the Nike Free TR8 shoes is that its heel is flatter than the previous models. This allows for wider surface area and thus greater stability for explosive movement exercises. There is also an added material over the heel that makes your steps have a better feel.

The shoes are naturally lightweight due to the material. It is also flexible because of its deep grooves and cutouts in the sole. Another feature that I like the most is that it has an added layer of soft foam that cushions and wraps your foot making it more supported as you move laterally. 

5. Nike Fury Wrestling Shoes

Yes, you read it right. Included in this list is the Nike Fury, a wrestling shoe. It might be the case, but the design of this shoe makes it also applicable for Boxing training purposes. In fact, most Wrestling shoes can be used for Boxing training, without any problem. This is what popular boxers like Floyd Mayweather does.

The Nike Fury is also actually unisex, meaning it can be used by both males and females. It has a high cut that protects your ankles especially when your Boxing training involves a lot of lateral movements. 

The grip and traction of this shoes is what makes it best applicable for Boxing training. The outsole is excellent and its flat sole design makes you have more balance when moving. Also, the shoes have high breathability due to its mesh openings. Above all, this shoe is a good buy if you want to use it for Boxing.

6. Nike Free Metcon 7

The last of this list is one of the latest versions of Nike's Metcon series. The Nike Free Metcon 7 has major design and construction upgrades and is certainly unique and equipped with its own advantages.

Nike Free Metcon 7 is versatile and can be used for any training purposes making it one of the best Nike Boxing shoes for women. This model boasts a Nike React Foam technology throughout its midsole which helps in giving your more bounce and reactivity when doing explosive movements and plyometrics.

Also, the shoe also has an additional lace-locking feature which is helpful in mid-foot lace security and overall grip feel. It has a rubber sole, just like the previous Metcons which makes it suitable for athletic exercises like boxing.

Final Thoughts

I hope my review of the best Nike boxing shoes for women has provided you with sufficient information in determining which brands you’d use in your training. I hope that my buyer’s guide would also serve you well in your future purchases.

One final piece of advice though is in purchasing which brands to use, it is important to put the quality of the shoes first over the cost. If you’re serious about boxing, then getting the right pair of shoes is of extreme importance.

There are cheaper brands in the market, and most of them are certainly from unrecognizable brands or imitations. But as cheap as they are, the level of quality and safety that these brands offer may not come close to those offered by recognizable and reputable brands.

The listed selections might not be specifically for Boxing, but those CrossFit and Training shoes are well-suitable for Boxing applications. You can never go wrong with the Nike brand as they have proved their products to be well made.

Featured Image Credits to Embed from Getty Images