Puerto Rican boxer Orlando Cruz says he
was nervous about announcing that he is gay.
Last week, the 31-year-old Cruz
released a statement in which he said that he is “a proud gay man,”
making him the first boxer to come out during his career.
Cruz, who is currently ranked No. 4 in
the world by the WBO and competes in the featherweight division, told
CNN that he told his mother that he was “nervous” about coming
out.
In an interview with the AP, Cruz
called it a “big step in my life.”
“I developed physically and mentally
to take such a big step in my life and in my profession, which is
boxing, knowing that it would have pros and cons, highs and lows in
this sport that is so macho. I kept this hidden for many, many
years,” he said.
He said he has the support of his
family, friends, trainer and manager.
He said of his father: “Like every
father, he wants his son to be a full-blooded man. But he is aware
of my preference, my taste.”
Later this month, Cruz challenges
Mexican boxer Jorge Pazos for the WBO Latino title.
(Source: CNN.)