Mexico artisans handcraft gloves for boxing legends

Alberto Reyes, son of Cleto Reyes founder of the iconic Mexican boxing gloves factory which bears his name, poses in front of a wall packed with autographed gloves at Reyes Industries headquarters in Mexico City. -AFP filepic

MEXICO CITY: In a boxing world often dominated by promoters, self-promoters and glitz -- exhibit A, Mayweather vs. McGregor -- Alberto Reyes likes to do things the old-fashioned way: his company still makes gloves by hand, just as it did for Muhammad Ali.

The Mexican craftsman is the owner of Cleto Reyes boxing gloves, a family firm founded by his late father in the 1940s whose clients have included such legends as Ali, Manny Pacquiao and even the fictional Rocky Balboa.