USA: BOXING - Boxing's first openly gay fighter Orlando Cruz trains for his shot at Mexican featherweight Orlando Salido and the WBO title

Record ID: 277970

  • Title: USA: BOXING - Boxing's first openly gay fighter Orlando Cruz trains for his shot at Mexican featherweight Orlando Salido and the WBO title
  • Date: 24th September 2013
  • Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 24, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ORLANDO CRUZ TYING ON PINK GLOVES PHOTOGRAPHER VARIOUS OF CRUZ WORKING WITH TRAINER JUAN DE LEON CRUZ TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) FEATHERWEIGHT BOXER ORLANDO CRUZ SAYING: "Ah, it's been a great training, you know, hard training everyday. So, I am training three times a day. . . in the m
  • Embargoed: 9th October 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: General,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVADXEX6JITZ4RICRSABKYCHHZKF
  • Story Text: The top featherweight contender Orlando Cruz trained in New York on Tuesday ahead of next month's title bout.
    Cruz (20-2-1, 10 KOs), a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, will face Mexico's Orlando 'Siri' Salido (39-12-2, 27 KOs) for the vacant World Boxing Organization featherweight title on October 12th.
    "It's been a great training, you know, hard training everyday. So, I am training three times a day. . . in the morning, at the boxing gym. Hard, hard, very hard training," Cruz told Reuters before stepping into the ring at the Mendez Boxing Gym in Manhattan.
    The 32-year old Cruz made headlines last year when he became the first fighter in his prime to declare himself a homosexual. Since then, he has won two fights. Of his last four fights, three have come by way of knockout including a first-round knockout of previously undefeated Michael Franco.
    "I think everything from people has been respect, you know. I think people respect my decision. Everyday there's support," said Cruz about his decision to make his sexuality public.
    The boxer has said he has received overwhelming support since he made his announcement and has been happy with how he has been treated.
    "I want only respect. That's it. It's my decision. It's my life. I want to be free with my relationship. I want to be comfortable, you know," Cruz explained.
    The feather weight title bout will be the undercard of the welterweight title fight between Timothy Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas, Nevada.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register