LGBTQ+ boxer, Orlando Cruz (Photo courtesy of Sky Sports).
Boxing appears to be one of the sports that seemingly most warmly accepts athletes who are in the LGBTQ+ population. That in no way means that boxing is embracing or doing sufficient work to support the community. However, from the outside looking in, it seems much more accepting of gay athletes than other sports like football. Let’s delve into some of the 28 boxers who are gay.
For any LGBTQ+ boxer history buffs out there, we will not highlight UFC flyweight Jeff Molina coming out as bisexual in March 2023 because it was not his choice to do so. A video was leaked of him having relations with another individual, prompting his decision to come out. No one should ever distribute someone else’s private moments without consent. People should also always come out on their own timeline in their own way, if they so choose.
Orlando Cruz
Orlando Cruz became the first openly gay man in the boxing world when he came out in 2012. One of his biggest motivations to do so was because he didn’t have the mental energy to focus on competition while hiding a part of his identity at the same time. Being open about who he was, he allowed himself to be the best version of himself as a person and a boxer.
There are some very inspirational quotes attached to Orlando Cruz. One being: “Boxing is a tough, tough sport. But this need for machismo is bullshit. It’s now 2023 and I find it so sad that human beings are still struggling with having the confidence to be who they really are. Love is love no matter who it is between – we can’t afford to lose lives due to ignorant opinions of the minority.”
He also said, “I want to thank my family, especially my mom, who’s my inspiration and my best reason to continue to live and my brother and my sister. I want to thank my friends for their love and support. And I also want to thank my team for believing in me and being so supportive not only in this decision, but throughout my career. I am and will always be a proud Puerto Rican gay man.”
Cruz is a beautiful person who has done so much to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, especially focusing on being an active role model for youth. His example was crucial for other people in the boxing and fighting community and sports on a grander scale. Thank you for your example and advocacy work, Orlando Cruz!
Female Boxers
Many female boxers are homosexual or bisexual. Women mostly comprise the majority of the 28 LGBTQ+ boxers. That isn’t to say they don’t experience adversity as a woman who is not straight in the world of boxing; it is just more common than a male boxer coming out.
One of the many brave women who publicly embrace their identity would be Amanda Nunez. She is the first openly gay UFC champion and fighter who won the women’s bantamweight championship belt in 2016. Congrats Amanda!
Nicola Adams is one of the most well-known LGBTQ+ boxers in America. She is a huge advocate for the community, and she has been through her entire career. Adams came out many years ago, finding her public persona being different than her private one to be too difficult.
She was the first lady and openly gay individual to win an Olympic gold boxing medal in 2012 and received her second Olympic gold medal in 2016. Adams felt that the sexism was so dramatic that there wasn’t much room for homophobia. Being a female boxer was abhorrent to many individuals, with people expressing to her that she should stick to traditional gender roles, which didn’t include boxing. Nicola pushed through all the obstacles placed in front of her. Ms. Adams was named Outsports Female Athlete of the Year in 2016. Congrats, Nicola Adams!
Alfonso Brown
For more punch-drunk and boxing-free articles, click here. For more LGBTQ+-focused articles this lovely Pride Month, check out the content here. One of the major reasons behind bringing up minorities of different kinds during the months that celebrate them is for the purpose of shedding light on people in these communities. They are often overlooked for their contributions to their respective sports. Alfonso Brown, or Panama Al Brown, is a perfect example of an overlooked, important member of the boxing community.
Panama Al Brown’s Story
The book “Black Ink” is a must-read on Panama Al Brown. It details his life growing up in Panama. Brown’s father fled to Latin America as an emancipated enslaved individual from Tennessee, looking for a better life. Life wasn’t perfect in Central America either, and Brown wanted a future in boxing, so he traveled up to the United States in the 1920s.
Despite being 118 pounds, gay, black, and undocumented Panama Al Brown could not be held back. And believe us, America tried to beat him down. Brown was the first Latino individual to win the bantamweight crown in 1928. Shortly after, the title was stripped from him with no explanation (we all know why). The following year, the Latino boxer won the crown again, and this time he got to keep it.
In his own attempt to find a better life, Brown moved to Europe and boxed in lesser-known circles over there. As we know, going through the history of boxing, America became the dominant boxing location by the 1900s. Battling his own demons, Panama Al Brown was struggling with his addiction to heroin and alcohol and losing his title after nine years, in 1935, when he met his partner, Jean Cocteau. In the 1930s, Brown was also diagnosed with syphilis and boxed through painful sores on his back.
Brown Finds Love
Jean Cocteau was Al Brown’s saving grace. The man helped drag the boxer out of his addiction and back into the boxing world, once again achieving the bantamweight crown in 1938. He would retire in 1942, never having been knocked out of the ring. Cocteau had no exposure to boxing prior to his partner, but he became his significant other’s manager.
Less than 10 years after his retirement, the first male LGBTQ+ player who did not come out as gay but publicly lived a gay lifestyle passed away. In 1950, the man was found in New York City, unhoused in the freezing cold. He passed away in a hospital six months later, at just 49 years old, from tuberculosis. RIP Panama Al Brown, we see you and value your contribution to the boxing world.
