Steppe eagleMuay Thai cutSky blueXS to 4XL
In short: 23 consecutive knockouts between 2008 and 2017, the longest run in the middleweight division, and 21 title defences. Gennadiy Golovkin, born in Karaganda, made Kazakhstan a boxing power. Sky blue shorts with the 32-rayed sun and steppe eagle on the right leg and the national ornament down the left. 8 sizes, XS to 4XL. €39 in XS, €44 from S to 4XL.
Karaganda, the triple champion and the twins
Gennadiy Golovkin was born in Karaganda in 1982. His twin brother Max boxed too. Their two older brothers took them to the gym and, by his own account, sent them out to test their hands against grown men in the street.
As an amateur he took Olympic silver in Athens in 2004. As a professional he became middleweight world champion and put together 23 straight knockouts between 2008 and 2017 — the longest such run the division has seen — along with 21 title defences. His trilogy with Canelo Álvarez is one of the defining rivalries of the era.
Kazakhstan is no one-man story: it is one of the deepest amateur systems in world boxing, regularly near the top of the medal table. This is a flag that gets respect in a ring.
What the shorts look like
Solid sky blue across the whole garment. On the right leg, the 32-rayed sun and the steppe eagle with its wings spread, both in yellow. Down the left leg, the vertical band of Kazakh national ornament, the traditional scrollwork that runs along the hoist of the flag.
The wide elastic waistband repeats the sky blue and carries the ESPRIT BOXE — FOR THE GLORY label in white. Satin finish.
The Muay Thai cut, and why it matters
Every country short in this collection shares one cut: short leg, high side split over the hip, wide elastic waistband. That is not styling. The high split clears the hip completely, which is what a head kick and a clinch need — the two movements Muay Thai is built around.
In practice these work for Muay Thai, kickboxing, K-1 and MMA training, and they are just as usable in boxing for gym work and club shows: the leg stays free and nothing catches during footwork.
Technical specifications
Worth knowing: this is the only sky blue short in the range, a colour few flag carries. If your club puts you in the blue corner it covers both jobs at once. Check your association’s rules before a sanctioned bout.
Getting the size right
European cut — take your usual size. Most Muay Thai shorts on the market are Thai-made and sized accordingly, which is why almost every seller tells you to order one size up. These are cut to European sizing, so that correction does not apply. Eight sizes, XS to 4XL, where the bulk of the market stops at XXL. The elastic waistband absorbs a swing in waist measurement, which helps through a fight camp. If you train in a groin guard, go one size up.
Also worth a look
Frequently asked questions
Do Muay Thai shorts run small?
Thai-made shorts do, which is why the usual advice is to order one size up. These are a European cut — take your usual size. Eight sizes run from XS to 4XL. Between two sizes, or if you wear a groin guard, take the larger one.
What is the difference between Muay Thai shorts and boxing shorts?
Muay Thai shorts sit above the knee with a high side split and a wide elastic waistband, which clears the hip for kicks and clinch work. Boxing shorts run longer with the waistband above the navel, marking the low-blow line. These are the Muay Thai cut, and they carry over to boxing training without trouble.
How many knockouts in a row did Golovkin win?
23, between 2008 and 2017, ended by a decision win over Daniel Jacobs. It is the longest knockout streak in middleweight history, and he added 21 title defences on top of it.
What is the ornament on the side of the Kazakh flag?
It is the koshkar-muyiz scrollwork, a traditional Kazakh ornamental pattern that runs vertically along the hoist of the national flag. On this short it is printed as a yellow band down the left leg.
How do you wash Muay Thai shorts?
Machine wash inside out at 30 °C / 86 °F, no tumble dryer, and never put an iron directly on the panels. Skip the fabric softener: it coats the weave and slows how fast sweat moves through it.
Are these unisex?
Yes. The cut is the same for men and women — only the size changes, and the range opens at XS, which is not true everywhere.
