Over the years, the world of boxing has seen many changes. However, at the Cleto Reyes glove workshop, things remain the same: Alberto Reyes continues to oversee his workers as they craft boxing gloves by hand, just as they did for Muhammad Ali.
Alberto Reyes is the owner of Cleto Reyes Boxing Gloves, a family-owned company founded by his late father in the 1940s. The client list of Cleto Reyes includes legends such as Muhammad Ali, Manny Pacquiao, and even Sylvester Stallone, who brought the character “Rocky Balboa” to life, inspiring generations of boxing fans.
Rocky Balboa’s Cleto Reyes gloves
Reyes enjoys recounting how Muhammad Ali elevated the Cleto Reyes brand to global fame when he used their gloves to regain the championship from Leon Spinks in 1978. “Ali had a contract with another company for boxing gloves, but he insisted he wouldn’t fight without . The organizers agreed to let Muhammad Ali use his favorite gloves, but on one condition: he had to tape over the Cleto Reyes label.
Muhammad Ali’s historic Cleto Reyes glove
The deal was set, but as soon as the fight began, Ali’s trainer Angelo Dundee removed the tape. A photo of Muhammad Ali landing a punch on Leon Spinks with Cleto Reyes gloves appeared in numerous newspapers, and from that moment, Cleto Reyes gloves became some of the most sought-after in the world. The special gloves used by Muhammad Ali in that fight were crafted by Ruben Albarran of Cleto Reyes, who is now 66 years old. “Those were some of the first gloves I ever made,” Albarran said in an interview with AFP at one of Cleto Reyes’ two factories on the outskirts of Mexico City. “When I watched the fight, I was so happy for the company. Then I saw the photo of Muhammad Ali with the gloves I made in the newspaper. It was fantastic.”
Muhammad Ali used Cleto Reyes gloves in his match with Leon Spinks
Albarran grew up dreaming of becoming a boxer, but when he was 15, his father crushed that dream. So, Albarran chose the next best thing he could think of: becoming a boxing glove maker at Cleto Reyes.
Like many young men in the 1930s, Cleto Reyes idolized rising Mexican boxers such as Juan Zurita and Rodolfo Casanova. Back then, even without experience, one could step into the ring to try their luck. Cleto Reyes, then a worker at a local baseball equipment factory, also entered the ring. “My father lasted three rounds,” Alberto Reyes recounts. “After that, the trainers told him to go to the gym and learn the basics of boxing. At least he had the courage to step into the ring.”
Cleto Reyes suffered an injury, ending his boxing career. However, he remained connected to the sport: using his experience in sewing baseball gloves, he made his first pair of boxing gloves and seized an opportunity to build his reputation by crafting gloves for his idol Juan Zurita in 1945. Since then, the list of Cleto Reyes customers has continued to grow. Joe Louis, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Manny Pacquiao, and Juan Manuel Marquez have all used their gloves. “They use our gloves because they feel it’s a good glove. They know they can get a knockout with these gloves,” Alberto Reyes says.
The artisans at Cleto Reyes start by selecting the highest quality leather. Typically, the chosen pieces of leather are about 8 mm thick and are carefully cut by hand to avoid any flawed areas. Next, the craftsmen sew the gloves, shape the foam and horsehair layers before covering them with leather. The final steps involve applying a waterproof coating, polishing the leather surface, and threading the laces.
Cleto Reyes gloves remain a symbol of quality and tradition in the world of boxing, a testament to the enduring legacy of craftsmanship and dedication.
