Everlast Worldwide Incorporated is an American

brand A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's goods or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create and ...

sports equipment Sports equipment, also called sporting goods, are the tools, materials, apparel, and gear, which varies in shapes, size, and usage in a particular sport. It includes balls, nets, rackets, protective gears like helmets, goggles, etc. Since th ...

, focused on

boxing Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...

mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting combat sport, sport based on strike (attack), striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-s ...

and physical fitness, which markets its products worldwide. The company was founded in

The Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

and is currently based in

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

. In 2007, Everlast was acquired by the British retailing group Frasers Group. Everlast manufactures a wide range of products for fight sports including

boxing glove Boxing gloves are cushioned gloves that fighters wear on their hands during boxing matches and practices. Unlike "fist-load weapons" (such as the ancient cestus (boxing), cestus) which were designed as a lethal weapon, modern boxing gloves are n ...

s, protective gear (head and body protectors, mouthguards, jockstraps, hand wraps), punching bags, punch mitts,

boxing ring A boxing ring, often referred to simply as a ring or the squared circle, is the space in which a boxing match occurs. A modern ring consists of a square raised platform with a post at each corner. Four ropes are attached to the posts and pulled p ...

s (and corner stools,

canvas Canvas is an extremely durable Plain weave, plain-woven Cloth, fabric used for making sails, tents, Tent#Marquees and larger tents, marquees, backpacks, Shelter (building), shelters, as a Support (art), support for oil painting and for other ite ...

rope A rope is a group of yarns, Plying, plies, fibres, or strands that are plying, twisted or braided together into a larger and stronger form. Ropes have high tensile strength and can be used for dragging and lifting. Rope is thicker and stronger ...

s, corner cushions). The company also markets a clothing and footwear line including T-shirts, sleeveless shirts,

hoodie A hoodie is a type of sweatshirt with a hood that, when worn up, covers most of the head and neck, and sometimes the face. The most common 'pullover' style hoodies often include a single large knife pocket or muff on the lower front, whil ...

s, leggings, shorts, pants, compression garment, and

sneakers Sneakers (American English, US) or trainers (British English, UK), also known by a #Names, wide variety of other names, are shoes primarily designed for sports or other forms of physical exercise, but are also widely used for everyday casual ...

History

In 1910, 17-year-old Jacob Golomb, the son of a tailor and an avid swimmer, started the company as a manufacturer of swimwear designed to last longer than previously available swimsuits; he guaranteed his suits would last longer than one year, and named them "Everlast". Everlast expanded into supplying a wide range of sports equipment. The company first produced boxing gear in 1917 after a young Jack Dempsey asked them to supply him with headgear that would last for more than 15 rounds. It subsequently sponsored Roberto Durán,

Joe Frazier Joseph William Frazier (January 12, 1944November 7, 2011) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1965 to 1981. Nicknamed "Smokin' Joe", he is widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He was known for ...

, Marvin Hagler, Larry Holmes,

Sugar Ray Leonard Ray Charles Leonard (born May 17, 1956), best known as Sugar Ray Leonard, is an American former professional boxer. Often regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time, he competed professionally between 1977 and 1997, winning quintuple c ...

, and in particular

Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and social activist. A global cultural icon, widely known by the nickname "The Greatest", he is often regarded as the gr ...

and became the most recognizable boxing brand. Golomb died in the 1950s and was succeeded as head of the company by his son Daniel, who made the Everlast logo on the company's boxing gloves larger to increase visibility on television. Ben Nadorf purchased 50% of Everlast Sports Mfg. Corp in 1958 and became sole owner in 1995. In 2000, the company was acquired by George Horowitz's Active Apparel Group, which had manufactured men's and women's sportswear under license for Everlast, and in 2007, Sports Direct acquired Everlast Worldwide. The company has expanded its activities into MMA and has been awarded the World MMA Awards for Best Technical Equipment Brand five times, most recently in 2016. Everlast boxing equipment is made in a factory in Moberly, Missouri; other products are manufactured outside the US by licensees. The company also made boxing equipment at a factory in the Port Morris section of the Bronx from the 1980s until 2003.

UK gym chain

In 2020 Frasers Group bought a number of DW Sports Fitness (previously JJB Sports) locations out of administration, and started the Everlast Gyms chain. In late 2023 they had nearly 60 branches located across all four countries of the United Kingdom.

References

External links

* {{Running shoe brands Companies based in New York City Clothing companies established in 1910 Sporting goods manufacturers of the United States Sportswear brands Manufacturing companies established in 1910 1910 establishments in New York City Sports Direct Port Morris, Bronx 2007 mergers and acquisitions American subsidiaries of foreign companies

History

UK gym chain

See also

References

External links