Orlando Cz, gay boxer, set for first fight sce g out - ESPN

orlando cruz gay boxer

Puerto Rin featherweight Orlando Cz announced to the world that he is gay on Wednday, beg the first practicg prizefighter to clare he is homosexual.

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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. * orlando cruz gay boxer *

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.

GAY BOXER ORLANDO CZ STGGLED WH G OUT

The world's only openly gay boxer, Orlando Cz nonts stereotyp and ph for clivy boxg, fearg the sport may lag behd. * orlando cruz gay boxer *

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.

BOXER ORLANDO CZ A 'PROUD GAY MAN'

* orlando cruz gay boxer *

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.

BOXER ORLANDO CZ BUOYED BY SUPPORT SCE ANNOUNCG HE'S GAY

The out gay boxer won a North Amerin tle and had a world-tle shot. * orlando cruz gay boxer *

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. "I have to w whether he is gay or not, but I don't thk about that, " Pazos said. Has his first fight sce announcement on FridayFirst active boxer to publicly e outHas gaed support the gay munyKISSIMMEE, Fla.

— For so many years, Puerto Rin featherweight Orlando Cz stggled wh nflictg emotns regardg his place as a gay man the tradnally mascule, btal and often-remorsels enavor that is profsnal boxg. "I was aaid I uld be discrimated agast bee there is a lot of discrimatn agast the gay muny. ''Two weeks ago, the 31-year-old boxer beme the first active pro fighter to publicly clare that he was gay.

In 2005, Ee Griffh, the Hall of Fame former world welterweight and middleweight champn, revealed his homosexualy three s after his fal 's story has generated world-wi media attentn for the ge tle ntenr and journeyman. ''Cz's publicly issued statement that he is a "proud gay man'' was a rare acknowledgement and unprecented among active pro athlet major sports. "Osr asked me before the fight, 'Are you gog to tell people you are gay?

GAY BOXER WILL HONOR ORLANDO VICTIMS WH UPG FIGHT

Orlando Cz ed to worry what would happen if the boxg muny disvered he's gay. He now feels more fortable than ever wh how he's been accepted. * orlando cruz gay boxer *

''While Cz said his cisn to e out has been well received om fay and iends, pl the gay and lbian muni, he scribed a recent overt act of discrimatn that sadned him. ''Cz said he is unncerned about potential tnts om fans — or future opponents tryg to distract him wh homophobic, Cz's Friday opponent, said he don't re about his challenger's sexual preference.

HE'S PROFSNAL BOXG'S FIRST OPENLY GAY ATHLETE — AND CHIGO'S HONORG HIM AT PRI, PUERTO RIN PARAS

As the first openly gay profsnal boxer wds down his reer, Orlando “El Fenomeno” Cz wants to be a mentor to aspirg boxers so that they not only bee fierce fighters but are also te to themselv. * orlando cruz gay boxer *

"I have to w whether he is gay or not, '' he said. He said she spected he was gay even though he said, "I ed to like girls. "When I fish boxg, '' he add, "I want people to remember me: 'Orlando Cz was gay — and he was a good boxer and a good guy.

In a sport historilly fed by toughns and masculy, boxg has long grappled wh the stigma surroundg homosexualy. While progrs has been ma other sports, boxg has seen few openly gay male athlet.

This environment has created a signifint barrier for gay men to openly exprs their sexual orientatn.

BOXER ORLANDO CZ ANNOUNC HE'S GAY

Dcribg himself as "a proud gay man," Puerto Rin featherweight Orlando Cz on Thursday beme what is believed to be the first pro boxer to e out as openly homosexual while still petg. * orlando cruz gay boxer *

The srcy of openly gay boxers throughout history highlights the endurg challeng faced by athlet who do not f wh tradnal expectatns.

However, Orlando Cz, the sole openly gay boxer the sport today, ntu to challenge nventns and advot for cln. Orlando Cz emerged as a trailblazer when he me out as gay 2012, beg the first publicly gay male boxer.

Now, eleven years later, he stands as a solary figure wh the sport, fightg for clivy and support for gay fighters.

ORLANDO CZ IS BOXG'S FIRST OPENLY GAY ATHLETE WHILE STILL PETG

In a historic revelatn, featherweight boxer Orlando Cz has bee the first openly gay man the sport's history, scribg himself as a 'proud gay man.' * orlando cruz gay boxer *

While progrs has been ma other sports wh athlet g out as gay and servg as spiratns for others, Cz fears that boxg is laggg behd and that young men, particular, will endure the nsequenc. Thankfully we are begng to see athlet om other sports e out as gay and act as spiratn for others to follow, but I fear that boxg will be left behd and young men, specifilly, will suffer.

” he saidCz’s ncern for the well-beg of young boxers is rooted the alarmg statistics among gay and bisexual men. Dpe this, Cz has e out as a bean of hope for the boxers after revealg that some gay fighters have ma him their close ris as a mentor for gay boxers worldwiLater the terview, the Puerto Rin revealed that he has bee a lifele for other gay boxers.

ORLANDO CZ BE FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN BOXG

Moreover, he claimed that he was ntact wh six gay boxers om different parts of the world. This clud boxers om Spa, Colombia, the USA, the Uned Kgdom, and ’s ditn to supportg gay boxers reflects his firm belief that no athlete should have to sacrifice their te self.

It remas to be seen whether the world chang the stigma regardg gay boxers. He wr about boxg for ESPN The Magaze and is the news edor for Rin featherweight Orlando Cz announced to the world that he is gay on Wednday, beg the first practicg prizefighter to clare he is homosexual. He said he heard mors that Cz was gay, and assumed he was gay, but never broached the subject wh the fighter "bee I rpect him, and would have been sensive to ask him.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* ORLANDO CRUZ GAY BOXER

Boxer Orlando Cz buoyed by support sce announcg he's gay .

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