ESPRIT BOXE waistbandBoxer cut2 colourwaysXS to 4XL
In short: Boxer briefs with a short leg and a wide elastic waistband carrying ESPRIT BOXE in capitals and the raised-arms boxer pictogram, repeated all the way round. Second logo on the right leg. Two colourways. 8 sizes, XS to 4XL. €29.
Boxer briefs are named after boxing, not the other way round
In 1925 boxers still climbed through the ropes in trunks held up by a leather belt. The belt held, but it locked the hips and got in the way of footwork — and footwork is what decides a fight.
That year Jacob Golomb, the founder of Everlast, replaced the leather belt with an elastic waistband. The garment was lighter, it did not restrict the hips, and it caught on immediately. Underwear makers copied the construction, and the name that stuck to it was the one from the ring: boxer.
The waistband
This is the centrepiece of the garment. A wide elastic band, marked all the way round with a repeating composition: the raised-arms boxer pictogram above ESPRIT BOXE on two lines, then a double horizontal rule, then ESPRIT BOXE in large capitals at the centre, and the sequence again.
A wide band does something a thin one cannot: it stays flat. A narrow elastic rolls on itself after a few rounds of movement, which is exactly what you do not want under a fight short.
The cut
Boxer cut with a short leg, stopping high on the thigh. The front is built in three panels — two vertical seams frame the centre section, which gives volume where it is needed without pulling at the sides.
The leg hems are flat, with no ridge: that is what stops a line showing through a fight short and what keeps the leg from riding up during movement.
The two colourways
Black and gold: matt black body, black waistband with gold marking, gold leg logo. White and black: white body, white waistband with black marking, black leg logo.
What goes under a fight short
The question comes up with anyone starting out, and the answer rests on one criterion: the garment must neither ride up nor fold during movement. A thin elastic rolls on itself after a few rounds; a wide band stays flat.
In amateur and professional boxing a groin guard is compulsory in competition, and it is worn over the underwear, not instead of it. A short-leg boxer is the layer that sits under both without bunching.
Technical specifications
Worth knowing: the wide waistband is the reason to pick this over a standard boxer under fight kit. A narrow elastic rolls after a few rounds of movement; a wide band does not.
Getting the size right
European cut — take your usual size. Eight sizes, XS to 4XL. The manufacturer’s chart is indexed on waist measurement, taken where the elastic band sits: S from 71–76 cm / 28–30 in, M 78–83 cm / 31–33 in, L 84–92 cm / 33–36 in, XL 93–100 cm / 37–39 in, XXL 101–107 cm / 40–42 in. The chart stops at XXL while the range runs to 4XL; above XXL, take your usual clothing size.
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Frequently asked questions
Why are boxer briefs called boxers?
Because of the ring. In 1925 Jacob Golomb of Everlast replaced the leather belt on boxing trunks with an elastic waistband. Underwear makers copied the construction and the name came with it.
What do you wear under boxing shorts?
A short-leg boxer with a wide elastic waistband, which stays flat where a thin elastic rolls. In competition a groin guard is compulsory and is worn over the underwear, not instead of it.
What size boxer briefs should I take?
Go by waist measurement at the point where the band sits: S is 71–76 cm / 28–30 in, M 78–83 cm / 31–33 in, L 84–92 cm / 33–36 in, XL 93–100 cm / 37–39 in, XXL 101–107 cm / 40–42 in. Above that, take your usual clothing size.
Why a wide elastic waistband?
Because it stays flat. A narrow elastic rolls on itself once you start moving, and under a fight short that shows and chafes. The width is the functional part of the garment, not the branding.
Does this come in big sizes?
Yes, up to 4XL. The manufacturer’s measurement chart stops at XXL; above that, take your usual clothing size.
How do you care for it?
Machine wash inside out at 30 °C / 86 °F, no tumble dryer, and no iron on the waistband marking.
