I used to wonder how brands like Boxeo, Zepol, Lopez, Gil, Campeon, Casanova, and all other popular brands, could be so well known in the Mexican boxing industry, without me being able to easily find them on the Internet, and almost impossible to acquire their products online.
It was until one of my coaches took me to meet the owners of Boxeo and Lopez to their workshops, that some things started to make sense.
Some interesting things I found out were:
Many of these brands, tend to be the owner itself and their close family that produce all their products in their workshop.
They operate in a kind of traditional old school fashion. Few use of computer/ technology, rarely will have websites and e-commerce set up, no marketing, among others. Facebook could be their major digital channel nowadays, but don't expect quick responses or great communication service from all.
They don’t have any “In-store Product Placement” strategy. Which is why you wouldn’t find any store having a huge stock of these brands in their shelfs. It is as per customer orders request that they only produce their equipment.
For the workshops I’ve seen, their workshop is very often some space within their own house.
The way how these brands usually moves their boxing equipment around Mexican gyms, is through the different coaches in these local gyms, which they tend to be those who end up knowing the workshop location or having the relation with the gloves maker. Sometimes someone similar to a “promotor” role will once in a while visit the local gyms, and place orders of equipment to take away. That is, many times when a boxer wants new equipment or customized, it is through the coaches of the gym they request their order, and then the coach goes visit any of these workshops and order their equipment.
It’s funny, because in this era where we are mostly used to receive items as soon as we pay for them, it doesn’t work this way here. There has been several times, where I end up with a few extra bucks and my head is “hot” in purchasing some new equipment, that I contact these brands to see if they have any ready-to-sell gloves that I could take, and answer has always been a straight “No”.
I guess me having a better understanding on these brands traditions and way of operating, have made me appreciate more the value of the boxing gloves and gear they produce. Where knowing that every time they are making some new equipment for me, I know it is going to be a unique piece. Because of this, is that I’ve started to value these items more as collectibles than only tools for boxing.
