Two weeks ago, boxer Orlando Cruz came out as gay. Yesterday, in a boxing match against Jorge Pazos, he won his first fight since doing so. “That was my moment, my opportunity, my event,” Cruz told ESPN. “And I won.”
Talking about the support he’s received since his pioneering decision to come out of the closet, he said, “I was very happy that they respect me. That’s what I want – for them to see me as a boxer, as an athlete and as a man in every sense of the word.”
Who knows whether his openness about his sexuality helped him with the match, but one thing is undeniable: he entered the ring with more confidence than ever before. “I feel happy where I am,” he said. “I’m free. I’m more at peace.”
Here’s to hoping his newfound centre helps him win his “dream” world title!
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