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Everlast (brand)

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Everlast Worldwide Incorporated
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustrySports equipment
Textile
Footwear
Founded1910; 114 years ago (1910) in The Bronx, New York
FounderJacob Golomb
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsBoxing gloves and equipment, clothing, sneakers
ParentFrasers Group
Websiteeverlast.com

Everlast is an American brand of sports equipment, focused on boxing, mixed martial arts and physical fitness, which markets its products worldwide. The company was founded in The Bronx and is currently based in Manhattan. In 2007, Everlast was acquired by the British retailing group Frasers Group.

Everlast manufactures a wide range of products for fight sports including boxing gloves, protective gear (head and body protectors, mouthguards, jockstraps, hand wraps), punching bags, punch mitts, boxing rings (and corner stools, canvas, ropes, corner cushions). The company also markets a clothing and footwear line including T-shirts, sleeveless shirts, hoodies, leggings, shorts, pants, compression garment, and sneakers.

History

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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".[1][2] 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.[1] It subsequently sponsored Roberto Durán, Joe Frazier, Marvin Hagler, Larry Holmes, Sugar Ray Leonard, and in particular Muhammad Ali and became the most recognizable boxing brand.[3]

Golomb died in the 1950s and was succeeded as head of the company by his son Daniel,[1] who made the Everlast logo on the company's boxing gloves larger to increase visibility on television.[2] 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,[1] which had manufactured men's and women's sportswear under license for Everlast,[4] and in 2007, Sports Direct acquired Everlast Worldwide.[3][5][6]

The company has expanded its activities into MMA[3] and has been awarded the World MMA Awards for Best Technical Equipment Brand five times,[7] most recently in 2016.[8]

Everlast boxing equipment is made in a factory in Moberly, Missouri; other products are manufactured outside the US by licensees.[4] The company also made boxing equipment at a factory in the Port Morris section of the Bronx from the 1980s until 2003.[1][2]

UK gym chain

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In 2020 Frasers Group bought a number of DW Sports Fitness (previously JJB Sports) locations out of administration,[9] and started the Everlast Gyms chain. In late 2023 they had nearly 60 branches located across all four countries of the United Kingdom.[10]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Feuer, Alan (November 1, 2003). "Everlast to Close Plant in Bronx; 100 Workers to Lose Their Jobs". The New York Times. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Williams, Timothy (April 24, 2006). "After a Boxing Giant's Departure From the Bronx, a Tiny Contender Steps Up". The New York Times. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c Van Riper, Tom (November 9, 2009). "Everlast Tries To Get Back In The Fight". Forbes. Archived from the original on November 13, 2009.
  4. ^ a b Cherner, Reid (October 19, 2004). "Boxing: Everlast still a knockout 94 years later". USA Today. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  5. ^ Bland, Ben (June 29, 2007). "Mike Ashley agrees to buy Everlast". The Telegraph. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  6. ^ Aldrick, Philip (November 8, 2007). "Sports Direct sells stake in Amer". The Telegraph. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  7. ^ Everlast and TapOuT Recognized Again at MMA Awards by Thomas J. Ryan on SGB Media, December 6, 2011
  8. ^ World MMA Awards 2017 Results by Bryan Tucker, March 2, 2017
  9. ^ "Frasers Group buys DW Sports fitness clubs out of administration for £37 million". insider.co.uk. Insider Publications Ltd (Scottish Business Insider). Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  10. ^ "Find a Gym". Everlast Gyms. SportsDirect Fitness.com Ltd. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
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