Orlando Cruz Comes Out

Orlando Cruz, currently the No. 2 ranked featherweight boxer in the United States, has come out as a gay man, and the world of boxing has its first openly gay professional fighter to come out while his career is still active.
Cruz, from Puerto Rico, said:

“I’ve been fighting for more than 24 years and as I continue my ascendant career, I want to be true to myself.I want to try to be the best role model I can be for kids who might look into boxing as a sport and a professional career. “I have and will always be a proud Puerto Rican. I have always been and always will be a proud gay man.”

Orlando Cruz has been boxing since he was seven, has won seven national titles and seven international gold medals. He turned pro shortly after the Sydney Olympic Games and won his first professional fight in December 2000 against Alfredo Valdez.

Welcome out, Orlando. You've done a great service to other young Latino boys who might be hiding their sexual orientation, and you've shown that gay men can be professional athletes and boxers, and champions.

Naturally, your Coming Out Toaster Oven and copy of The Gay Agenda will be winging their way to you from Homo HQ.

Welcome out.