Puerto Rin n make history by beg the first openly gay world champn on Saturday. He tells Steve Bunce about g out the macho world of boxg
Contents:
- ORLANDO CZ FIGHTS TO BEE BOXG’S FIRST OPENLY GAY CHAMPN
- ORLANDO CZ: BOXER DREAMS OF BEG FIRST OPENLY GAY WORLD CHAMPN
- ORLANDO CZ: 'I'M GAY, BUT I'M ALSO A BOXER. THIS IS MY TIME'
- BOXER WEARS PRI ARMBAND AFTER OPPONENT SUAT HE IS GAY
- ORLANDO CZ: THE GAY BOXER WHO IS BREAKG BARRIERS
- BOXG IS SO GAY
ORLANDO CZ FIGHTS TO BEE BOXG’S FIRST OPENLY GAY CHAMPN
John Flor and Ouisie Shapiro wre about Orlando Cz, who hop to bee the first openly gay world champn the sport. * boxing is gay *
When the boxer Orlando Cz issued a prs release on October 3, 2012, announcg to the world that he is gay, a strange thg happened: nothg. He is also boxg’s first openly gay profsnal fighter, and he is eager to bee s first openly gay world champn. Both of his parents attend their son’s weddg to his longtime partner, José Manuel Colón, an timate gatherg that took place 2013, Central Jul Serrano, a well-known gay activist who, like Cz, is om Puerto Ri, helped facilate Cz’s announcement 2012.
ORLANDO CZ: BOXER DREAMS OF BEG FIRST OPENLY GAY WORLD CHAMPN
Orlando Cz will create history by beg the first openly gay boxg world champn should he feat Terry Flanagan on Saturday. * boxing is gay *
I have always been and always will be a proud gay man. ”Serrano, speakg om his office San Juan, said that he saw Cz’s g out as helpg to dispel two myths: that Latos are homophobic, and that the ultra-macho sport of boxg has no place for a gay fighter.
Griffh is probably bt known for his 1962 fight agast the Cuban welterweight Benny Paret: after endurg anti-gay slurs om Paret at the weigh- before the fight, he unleashed his fury the rg, knockg Paret unnsc. When he steps to the rg at Motorpot Arena, Cardiff, Wal, he expects to see symbols of gay pri, which fans have begun wavg at his fights, to cheer him on. Will he be boxg's first openly gay champn?
ORLANDO CZ: 'I'M GAY, BUT I'M ALSO A BOXER. THIS IS MY TIME'
By Kirk Jackson Throughout the history of the sport, as well as every other sport, there has been gay athlet. Wh boxg, this beg such a * boxing is gay *
Cz aims to bee boxg's first openly gay world champn. Beme boxg's first openly gay, active fighter 2012.
Deeply embedd two worlds – boxg and Puerto Ri – that are found machismo, Cz has also bee a gay in to thoands. On Saturday, Cz has the chance to create history – should he beat Bra’s Terry Flanagan for the WBO lightweight tle, the 35-year-old will bee the first ever openly gay world champn. Boxg, like many other sports, is yet to fully open s arms to the ia of a gay athlete, somethg Cz has unsurprisgly experienced first-hand.
“I don’t re if they say, ‘Orlando Cz is gay. Wh so few openly gay, active profsnal athlet across all sports, Cz is aware what the rult of the fight will mean to those who look up to him. “The support of the gay muny, Puerto Ri, New York and different natnali, is very important, ” he says.
BOXER WEARS PRI ARMBAND AFTER OPPONENT SUAT HE IS GAY
The world's only openly gay boxer, Orlando Cz nonts stereotyp and ph for clivy boxg, fearg the sport may lag behd. * boxing is gay *
In 2013, his chance to bee the first openly gay boxg champn me and went btal fashn. Cz me out to his fay and a psychologist long before publicly announcg he was gay 2012.
I don’t re that other people talk about me, sayg, ‘Orlando Cz is gay, Orlando is bad or bulls***. For many, boxg is sport’s ultimate show of masculy and Cz still regularly fds himself fightg the misnceptn that a man n’t be both gay and mascule. “Sometim one, two or three people say, ‘you’re gay, and you’re a boxer… wow.
I say, ‘I am gay, but I am a man like you.
ORLANDO CZ: THE GAY BOXER WHO IS BREAKG BARRIERS
Donald McRae go behd the scen Buffalo as Orlando Cz, boxg's first openly gay fighter, prepar for his reer-fg world tle bout * boxing is gay *
“I am gay and I am the first openly gay boxer, but this has been my reer for years. “People say, ‘Orlando is gay but this is boxg, boxg is macho. ’ I have to tell them, ‘Orlando Cz is gay, but he’s a man… not a girl.
BOXG IS SO GAY
Chris Eubank Jr. donned the Pri armband at a weigh- after opponent Liam Smh suggted he was gay and then tweeted a msage of cln. * boxing is gay *
“Ee Griffh never spoke publicly or told an terview he was gay, ” Cz says. Cz n still vividly remember the feelg of steppg to the rg for the first time as an openly gay man, retag his WBO Lato Featherweight tle agast Mexin Je Pazos. Such is Cz’s fluence the gay muny and wir sportg world, Jason Colls – the first openly gay active basketball player – ntacted him to say he’s an spiratn for “g out of the closet.
Wh gay marriage illegal Puerto Ri – the Caribbean island where the uple ris, albe at oppose sis of the untry – and many US stat, they had some thkg to do. The Englishman’s sister, a profsnal footballer the Women’s Super League, is also openly gay.
It don’t affect me at all as my sister Chelsea is openly gay. While Flanagan’s views are rehg – Cz also says he has received nothg but rpect om opponents – there are still high-profile figur boxg who are openly homophobic.