Fast-forward three years, and the husband and wife are preparing to step into the ring on the same card as their son.

It will be Kylie’s first fight, and Wayne’s third. Jye, meanwhile, has clocked 13 bouts.

“I went to the Australian masters two years ago in Adelaide, and then followed Jye over to the Golden Gloves in Perth and fought a fella over there,” Wayne said.

“It’s been a while so I’ve been back into it and training hard. Kylie and I were aiming for the Australian masters this year, because they run every two years, but it was cancelled due to lack of entries.

“We trained really hard, so it was a bit disappointing but (coach) Rudy Ryan said he’d try to get us on the card for War in the ‘Bool.”

Kylie said the chance to fight alongside her son and husband was surreal.

She understands the uniqueness of her situation and is “keen” to jump in to the December 9 bout.

“I never thought I’d be doing it. It was good for Wayne to do it over in Perth a couple of years ago, but I never thought I’d be doing it,” she said.

“It’s good (travelling) to do sparring and whatnot when the whole family is into it. We have three others, and they’ve all tried boxing at some stage as well.”

Wayne said fitness was his sole aim when he first stepped into Ryan’s Kelp Street headquarters.

The family can see the impact the sport has had on their health.

“It’s got everybody fit, due to Jye. When I first stepped in, I was 120 kilograms. I’m down to 81 now,” he said.

“Over the period of time that I’ve been boxing, I’ve shed a lot of weight. I got the weight off and I’ve managed to keep it up.

“I was a bike rider – I rode a Melbourne to Warrnambool in 1991 – and I lost about 10 kilograms buy jumping back on there but seeing Jye in here made me want to get more off.”

Jye told The Standard he was proud of his parents for stepping up to fight.

“You don’t see many people their age doing it, wanting to get in and get punched in the face,” he laughed.

“Dad has obviously fought on the same card as me but Mum is looking really well so I think she’ll go good.”

Jye said work commitments had limited his preparation for the event but was backing his natural fitness to stand up.

“Apparently the guy I’m fighting likes to walk up on people, not just stand back and throw so that’s really going to test my fitness,” he said.

“I’ll just do what I can and hopefully I’m fit enough when the time does come.

“I normally come straight from my bosses house, but mum often brings my gear down to help out.”