His father boxed. So did his brother. All Wyatt Wolfe wanted was to do the same.

He never thought he’d get the opportunity.

“I’m legally blind,” Wyatt, 14, said. “That brought about all sorts of challenges. I still trained and worked out. My father and brother worked with me.

But in terms of getting in the ring and actually competing in a match? Never thought it was gonna happen.“

The Wolfe family lives in Worthington. Wyatt’s father, Bill Wolfe, fought in a couple of pro bouts and is longtime trainer of the Butler Cubs boxing program. Billy Wolfe compiled a 44-16 record as an amateur boxer and helps their father in the gym.

“I know how badly Wyatt wanted to box,” Bill Wolfe said. “It’s just a natural thing with us. He had surgery done in 2018 to put an artificial lens in his eyes and that helped him a lot. He joined the (Armstrong) wrestling team after that.

“We met with the doctor and were told that if he’s cleared to wrestle, there’s no reason he can’t box.”

Wyatt was medically cleared to compete in the ring in December of 2020. His first match was in April of 2021.

He’s since compiled a record of 8-3 as an amateur. Wyatt’s latest win was a decision over Elijah Petronic (8-8) of Jack’s Boxing during the Butler Cubs’ annual boxing show Saturday night.

“Boxing is a big part of our family and I just wanted to be part of it,” Wyatt said. “I have to train harder than everybody else because my overall vision isn’t as good as my opponents’. I need to be more careful and attentive in the ring.

“That’s actually worked to my advantage. I only take anything for granted when I train. I make sure I’m sharp all the time.”

Wyatt’s rise to a high-quality amateur led to his receiving a unique trophy from the Western Pa. Golden Gloves during Saturday’s show. He had signed up to compete in the Golden Gloves’ Bantam division in 2022 and Intermediate division this year.

He didn’t fight in either tournament.

“Other kids in his division didn’t want to fight him,” Western Pa. Golden Gloves coordinator David Watt said. “Wyatt is at a higher level for his age and going up against him would have been a bad experience for those kids. Nobody wanted that to happen and neither did Wyatt.

“He volunteered to opt out of the tournament so those other kids would enter and enjoy the Golden Gloves experience. It was a very unselfish move by him, so we created a division just for him and decided to recognize his gesture by giving him a trophy.

“Being able to present it to him in his hometown, at a venue like this, really made it special for him,” Watt added.

Wyatt was not expecting such recognition.

“It’s nice when people recognize an act like that,” he said. “You figure no one out there really knows what was happening there ... Just thinking enough of me to do something like this means a lot to me.”

While fighting Saturday, Wyatt wore a shirt honoring the memory of a good friend, Dalson Wright, who died unexpectedly in March at age 16.

Dalson lived in Kittanning and used to come to the boxing gym with Wyatt.

“Everything I do in the ring is for him now,” Wyatt said. “His death was hard to take at first, but now he’s boxing through me. That’s how I feel. It’s extra motivation for me.”

“Boxing is a way to channel that energy and frustration,” Wyatt’s father said. “Any type of physical exercise is good for a person that way.”

Wyatt is also a member of the Armstrong Junior High track team, competing in the 4x400 meter relay, high jump and mile.

He treats his father as two different people.

“When we’re at home, he’s my dad,” he said. “When we’re at the gym, he’s my coach. He’s great at both. Having my father as my coach has been a great experience. He’s been supportive of me all the way.”