Butler resident and Seneca Valley graduate Michael Miles, left, is pictured with his boxing trainer, John James of Steel City Boxing. Miles recently won his second Pa. Golden Gloves heavyweight title. Submitted Photo

New opponent and a new venue, but the result was the same for boxer Michael Miles.

The Butler resident and 2011 Seneca Valley graduate won the Pa. Golden Gloves heavyweight title for the second straight year by defeating Josh Snyder via unanimous decision at the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Harrisburg April 25.

“(Snyder) is a southpaw. I caught him with a right hand over top of his jab early on, and he felt it,” said Miles, who won last year’s crown in Philadelphia. “It snapped his head back pretty good, and I could tell he was thinking about it the rest of the fight.”

Miles trains five days per week at Pittsburgh’s Steel City Boxing under the direction of John James.

“From when I started, I’m a lot more patient now,” Miles said. “I’ve learned to hit guys in certain areas, set up shots for later in the fight.

“I don’t want to know too much about my opponent going in because I may build him up to be something he’s not. Just because he was able to do something against one guy doesn’t mean he’ll be able to do it against me.”

Miles’ first bout came in 2023 when he was 30.

“I’m 10-2 as an amateur. The most satisfying aspect of my career so far is proving people wrong,” he said. “I was told I was too old to start a career.”

As a state champion, Miles will travel to Oklahoma to compete in the National Golden Gloves Tournament, scheduled May 11-16 in Tulsa.