Belgium boxing shorts
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- Regular price€39,00
In short: On 20 February 1976, in San Juan, a stonemason from Ingelmunster climbed through the ropes to fight Muhammad Ali for the world heavyweight title — Jean-Pierre Coopman, the Lion of Flanders. These shorts carry black, yellow and red in three vertical panels on a Muay Thai cut. 8 sizes, XS to 4XL. €39 in XS, €44 from S to 4XL.
The stonemason who took a shot at Muhammad Ali
Jean-Pierre Coopman was born in Ingelmunster, West Flanders, in 1946. He cut stone for a living and boxed alongside it. In February 1976 his manager landed him the unthinkable: a world heavyweight title fight against Muhammad Ali, at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, in front of 16,000 people and a US television audience of over 40 million.
Ali won by knockout in the fifth. What stuck was not the fight but the man — Coopman was so plainly delighted to be there that Ali said he liked him and could not stay angry with someone who laughed the whole way through. Coopman went home with 100,000 dollars and bought a farm.
He was not finished: back in Europe he went and took the European title. Across 54 professional fights he won 36, twenty of them inside the distance. That is Belgian boxing — men who take the fight whoever is standing opposite.
What the shorts look like
Three full-height vertical panels carry the Belgian flag: black on the left, yellow in the centre, red on the right. The wide elastic waistband follows the same split, with no break from the body of the short.
On the yellow section of the waistband, a label carries the logo and the words ESPRIT BOXE — FOR THE GLORY in black. No print and no lettering on the panels: the flag reads at a glance from the back of a hall, which is the whole job of ring kit.
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
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Fight shorts, Muay Thai cut, short leg |
| Disciplines | Muay Thai, kickboxing, K-1, MMA, boxing, general training |
| Design | Three vertical panels, black, yellow and red |
| Waistband | Wide elastic in the same three-colour split, woven ESPRIT BOXE FOR THE GLORY label |
| Details | High side split |
| Fabric | Polyester |
| Colours | Black, yellow, red |
| Sizes | XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL, 4XL |
| Fit | European cut — take your usual size |
| Who for | Men and women |
| Price | €39 in XS, €44 from S to 4XL |
Worth knowing: black takes up a whole leg, which makes this the most restrained of the three-panel designs in the range — it works in the gym and on the warm-up without clashing with the rest of your kit. For sanctioned amateur bouts, check the corner colour your association assigns.
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
- France boxing shorts — blue, white and red in the same vertical layout, if you fight out of a French club.
- Switzerland boxing shorts — solid red with the white cross, if you want the plainest design in the range.
- Muay Thai shorts — nine plain colourways with a contrast waistband, if you want the same cut without a flag.
- To complete the kit: boxing t-shirts and boxing hoodies.
- To gear up: boxing gloves, mouthguards and hand wraps.
- The full boxing shorts collection.
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.
Which Belgian boxer fought Muhammad Ali?
Jean-Pierre Coopman, on 20 February 1976 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, for the world heavyweight title. Ali stopped him in the fifth round. Coopman later won the European heavyweight title and finished his career with 36 wins from 54 fights.
Is Belgium a boxing country?
It has a long amateur club tradition and a European-level professional history — Coopman’s European title in the seventies is the best-known chapter. The flag turns up regularly on Dutch and French kickboxing cards as well as in boxing gyms.
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.
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