Diabetes doesn't stop Apollo youth Sloan Olbeter in quest for boxing success

Sloan Olbeter climbing between the ropes and squaring up with his opponents in the boxing ring is his choice.

At first, the 12-year-old Apollo resident wasn’t sure.

Olbeter’s first trip to the Sanctuary Boxing Club in New Kensington was at his mom’s insistence.

“Honestly, my mom kind of forced me,” Olbeter said.

Olbeter’s mom thought Sloan, who was diagnosed with diabetes when he was 6, would be able to use boxing to come out of his shell.

Olbeter found that after trying to play baseball, being in the boxing ring made him the most comfortable.

Olbeter won his first amateur fight in September by decision. It was his second fight; he lost the first one by decision.

What has grown the most for Olbeter is his self-confidence.

“I wanted to stop being nervous,” Olbeter said.

“I used to be nervous all the time. I didn’t talk to anyone, really. (Boxing) helped me with that a lot.”

Richie Cantolina, a 33-year-old New Kensington resident and Ambridge native, owns the Sanctuary Boxing Club and coaches Olbeter.

Cantolina fought professionally and started the boxing club during the pandemic.

After being fired from his construction job during the pandemic in part because of wanting to keep the boxing gym afloat, Cantolina dedicated himself to boxing full time.

Working with Olbeter has provided Cantolina with someone to motivate other members of his fight team.

Since Olbeter has diabetes, he has to check his insulin numbers frequently while training. But Cantolina never hears Olbeter complain.

“You will see him sit out of practice for a bit to check his numbers,” Cantolina said.

“If they are too low, he has to sit there and get a Juicy Juice. But when he sits out, he’s still listening, learning and wants to be part of the team. When his numbers are good, he’s right back up and training his (butt) off. That’s the role model part we tell the other fighters. Sloan doesn’t make any excuse; anything is possible if you push yourself.”

Wearing an insulin pump while boxing is something Olbeter is always aware of.

Boxing requires energy management for all fighters. Olbeter prefers to be in the pocket and fight an in-your-face style.

Keeping that pace isn’t easy to maintain for an entire fight.

“At first, I would breathe heavily, and it would be hard for me,” Olbeter said.

“Once I got better and better, I started getting used to it, so it’s not as hard for me anymore. At first, I just thought it was a fun little sport. Then when I started getting good, I moved up to the fight team.”

A little drama occurred before Olbeter’s second fight in Pittsburgh. Cantolina said opponents were changed at 2 a.m., and he nearly pulled his team from the event because of his disappointment over the late changes.

When Olbeter was paired with a more experienced fighter, Cantolina left it up to Olbeter if he would fight or not.

After a slow first round, Olbeter rallied by dominating the second and third to score his first decision.

Cantolina thought at a higher level of boxing, with more time, Olbeter could have finished the fight.

“He’s very aggressive,” Cantolina said.

“He doesn’t let you catch your breath. He’s willing to take one punch to deliver three.”

Olbeter plans to stick with the sport and eventually might like to do it professionally.

No one drags him into the ring anymore.

“At first, I wouldn’t say I hated getting hit, but I didn’t really like it that much,” Olbeter said.

“Now when I get hit, I smile and think to myself, ‘Oh, that was a good one,’ and I follow it back with more punches.”