Boxer shorts

Boxer shorts

Boxer shorts (also known as loose boxers or as simply boxers) are a type of underwear worn by men. The term has been used in English since 1944 for all-around-elastic shorts, so named after the shorts worn by pugilists, for whom unhindered leg movement ('footwork') is very important.

Reasons for a preference for boxers can be attributed to their variety of styles and design as well as the way boxers look on the wearer. Unlike traditional briefs, boxers allow for more freedom in the selection of a fabric type and print design.

Differences Between Boxer Underwear and Trunks Boxers Wear
Reynaldo Tempenter say:

Boxer-type underwear for men come in all shapes and sizes as you well know. Or perhaps you don’t know. Boxers, as they are called, resemble the trunks that boxers typically wear, hence the name.

There are some significant differences between what men wear and what fighting boxers wear. First, the style of trunks that fighting boxers wear are much longer, often touching the knee (and this style for fighting boxers has changed over the years). They are extremely loose and baggy. The undergarments men might wear only go down to the mid-thigh. Yes, the shorts are loose (yet not as loose as Boxers trunks). the Boxers are made so that nothing inside the shorts are tight. And that’s an intentional design.

One significant requirement that sportsmen boxers have (that regular men don’t have) is the need for their shorts to stay on their hips during a long and sweaty match. The boxing trunks cannot even accidentally slither over the waist even a little (you see Boxers try to pull them up if they do and it’s an interesting sight when they try to do it with their boxing gloves). The boxing shorts are reinforced at the waist with heavy elastic or a tie-string. Boxer-style underwear, conversely, rarely use a tie-string to keep them from sliding down. Instead those shorts rely on elastic, a comfort designed specifically for the boxer underwear.

The similarities between what amateur and professional boxers wear and what normal men wear is that they are made from many types of material: silk, cotton, or a combination of the two often are purchased.

On a quick sidenote, I have also seen boxer shorts made from a fishnet type of material. I suspect the Boxing world has pretty much rejected that impractical material because then it would show the protective gear that boxers wear during a match. Mesh/Fishnet material for boxer shorts are found in novelty stores.

Obviously the mesh/fishnet type of boxers are not designed for comfort or practical purposes; they’re aesthetically pleasing and geared toward the romantic side of the equation.

Boxer shorts, then, are similar to what fighting Boxers wear in physical material (especially the silk and cotton varieties), but differ in length and whether or not they have a drawstring to hold them up. Another major difference is cost: boxing shorts are more expensive than boxer underwear. Specialty boxers, on the other hand, can be more costly initially, but may very well be worth the added expense.

ref: Reynaldo Tempenter is a business writer and he loves a good debate. The current debate will last for the ages. Boxers or Briefs?