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!