MAKING THE CHANGE FOR A BETTER FUTURE– RING MAGAZINE
Innovation and sustainability. That’s the goal of
adidas, and the man leading the mission for the boxing
branch of the multinational sportswear corporation is
Christophe Dessalles, managing director of Double-D/
adidas Boxing, which designs and manufactures all of
adidas’ combat sports equipment and apparel.
The company’s first big step in protecting the combat
athlete and the environment is the Speed 350 Tilt PRO
Boxing Glove, which was developed with a patented tilt
design that maximizes the fighter’s hand support and
strength by allowing proper knuckle alignment, and is also
made with sustainable materials, including cactus leather.
The design of the Tilt 350 was developed in collaboration
with hand specialists, but all of the adidas Boxing
equipment and apparel are tested in a very special lab
located in Riverside, California – the Robert Garcia Boxing
Academy, which is home to four-division titleholder Mikey
Garcia, former unified junior welterweight champ Jose
Ramirez, welterweight contender Vergil Ortiz Jr. and junior
bantamweight standout Joshua Franco, as well as several
up-and-comers.
Robert Garcia, a two-time trainer-of-the-year award
winner, has spent his entire life in boxing, first as a
combatant and now as a coach and mentor. His feedback
and the input of his fighters is vital to the continued
development of adidas Boxing equipment.
In late June, The Ring was on hand as four adidas
ambassadors, including MMA legend Anderson Silva and
WBO 130-pound titleholder Jamel Herring, worked out
with the new Speed 350 Tilt PRO Boxing Gloves during
a photo/video shoot inside the RGBA. The combat sports
veterans were joined by two boxing newcomers
– 19-yearold Jalan Walker (8-0-1, 7 KOs), a featherweight prospect
from South Central L.A., and 22-year-old Eric Priest (4-0, 3
KOs), a Texas-born middleweight who now makes his home
in Hollywood and moonlights as a model.
The Speed 350 Tilt PRO Boxing Gloves will be available
in the U.S. in October and can be purchased at the official
adidas Boxing website: usboxing.net.
The Ring caught up with Dessalles to discuss the new
glove and adidas’ #CombatForChange mission.
How long have you (and adidas Boxing/Double-D)
been on this journey to create gloves and
equipment that protects the environment and
the athlete?
Our journey to create sustainable products started a
few years ago and is aligned with adidas International’s
strategy. We are working towards a goal to use recycled
polyester in all our products by 2024, which means no
PVC (polyvinyl chloride, which is a toxic chemical), no
dirty polyester, and in this journey our goal is to innovate
with sustainable materials to protect the environment.
In boxing, our first step is with cactus leather made in
Mexico. We have been working with the company for over
18 months to develop a unique sustainable material for
boxing equipment, one which answers all boxers’ needs.
This is only our first step as we have several other exciting
sustainable projects in the pipeline.
Is it satisfying/exciting to finally be able to
announce the glove innovations and Tilt
Technology to the combat sports community and
to the general public?
We are very excited, as all boxers and coaches who have
tried the Tilt glove have been blown away by this concept
and technology, which we have registered successfully in
38 countries worldwide. They all told us that they could
feel the difference when using the Tilt gloves. We know that
with Tilt we have something very special which will help all
boxers from all levels in their path to success – sustaining
dreams! Again, the Tilt launch is only the first step for 2022.
We have many more innovations around Tilt, which will
excite the entire combat sports community.
How important is the feedback from veteran
trainers and gyms – such as Robert Garcia and his
Boxing Academy – to the development of equipment
like the Tilt glove? How long has Garcia been an
adidas ambassador?
It is vital in our pursuit to create great products that we
develop all our products with top athletes and coaches like
Robert. For the Tilt development or our latest boxing shoes,
which will also be made from sustainable materials, we have
developed them with boxers from several countries and
continents to ensure that we answer their needs to be the
best that they can be. After all, our motto is “Only the best
for the athletes.” Robert has been part of the team for the
past couple of years and a vital player in providing feedback,
advice and support in the development of our products.
Our collaboration actually started with the Fight Glove we
developed with (three-division champion) Abner Mares and
is now used by world champions, including Jamel Herring.
I think most boxers – and even folks who just
occasionally put on gloves to work out – will
understand the concept of the Tilt Technology
and how it supports the wrist and proper
knuckle alignment, but they may not grasp the
significance of the cactus leather. What are the
advantages to using it instead of animal skin or
synthetic materials?
Do you think combat athletes and exercise
enthusiasts who are not environmentally conscious
will come around and be more aware of and
supportive of sustainability and eco-friendly
products by using this new line of gloves and
becoming more familiar with how we impact the
environment? Is that what the #CombatForChange
campaign is about?
We are humble and trying to launch the best boxing
products to help the athletes and make them in a very
sustainable and ethical way. We could also talk about where
our products are made, as all our factories worldwide are
SEA approved, which stands for “Social and Environmental
Accountability.” It represents our commitment to the people
who make our products, not only in the most sustainable
way but also ethically! In both the boxing and combat
sports industry, we can say we are a long way ahead!