People read that there is a rough equivalency in weight between gray wolves and things like German Shepherd Dogs, which sets up a false equivalency in size.
Yes. Wolves are BIG. The first time I saw a wolf track in good substrate, it was a total WTF moment as my brain tried to adjust to what I was seeing. The first time I saw a live wolf, my brain also had to do a recalibration.
The best analogy I could give is this: I'm 6'2". I once met a professional basketball player who was over seven feet tall. We both weighed about 240lbs, but there was no comparison in size.
When I was younger and dumber I thought I could stay on my feet when a medium sized GSD hit the bite sleeve. I can't imagine dealing with a wolf up close, let alone one going for each arm while another pair zip in for my hamstrings.