Puerto Rican boxer Orlando “The Phenomenon” Cruz, boxing's first
openly gay fighter, on Saturday lost his bid for a world title.
Mexico's Orlando Salido won the vacant WBO featherweight title
after he knocked out Cruz in the seventh round. The bout took place at the
Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Despite the loss, Cruz, who came out gay last year, goes down in
history as the first openly gay boxer to fight for a world title.
The 32-year-old boxer entered the ring wearing a pair of
rainbow-colored trunks to support the LGBT community and pink boxing gloves to
support Breast Cancer Awareness Month. ESPN reported that members of Cruz's team also waved
rainbow-colored flags.
“I went into the corner and he hit me with a good shot,” Cruz said.
“I though the fight was close up until then. It was going back and forth.”
Cruz also dedicated the fight to the late Emile Griffith, one of
the greatest boxers in history, who came out bisexual in an interview with Sports
Illustrated.
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