Transgender Man Wins Debut Boxing Match—And He Has A Powerful Message For All His 'Naysayers' ❤️

Transgender Man Wins Debut Boxing Match—And He Has A Powerful Message For All His 'Naysayers' ❤️
Twitter: @GoldenBoyBoxing, Twitter: @Che_Matt

On Saturday, December 8, Patricio Manuel made history as the first transgender boxer to compete and win a fight in the United States. He fought Hugo Aguilar in Indio, California, and managed to snag the historic victory by unanimous decision at the end of the bout. As he was interviewed in the center of the ring following the fight, however, fans from around the stadium loudly booed the athlete. Instead of letting them get to him, Manuel had a message.


Hearing the boos, Manuel told his interviewer:

"I hear some fans aren't happy. It's okay, I'll be back… I'll make you happy then."

He went on:

"I've got some naysayers out there that I need to prove that I deserve to be here. I'm not in here just for one show in one fight. This is something I love. I'm not done with this sport and I will be back."

Manuel then spoke of Aguilar, who is currently 0-6:

"My opponent… hats off to him. He came here to fight, he fought me like a man, and I have so much respect for him."

The Palm Springs Desert Sun reports that Manuel was part of the 2012 U.S. Olympic trials when he was a woman, though a shoulder injury "forced him to withdraw."

Two years later, in 2014, Manuel began hormone therapy to transition into a man. He received gender-reassignment surgery in 2015, but didn't want to give up boxing, the sport that had shaped so much of his life.


Despite the booing fans surrounding him, Manuel epitomized class during his interview:

"Everyone who has been along for this journey over the past six years, really. Thank you so much, I couldn't be here without you. I really needed that support to help push me to this point."

The boxer recognized the many people who had helped him get to this point:

"There's a lot of people behind my corner, my coaches, my beautiful partner, my family and friends and fans. There are so many people who wanted me to be here and I'm so glad I was able to perform for them."

Though the ring-side fans may not have been especially receptive to Manuel, fans on Twitter were all for him.



Manuel's victory is a win not just for himself, but a historic one for the boxing community.





Congratulations on your win, Mr. Manuel, hopefully there are many more to come!

People Break Down Which Practices The United States Needs To Adopt From Other Countries

Woman making the shape of a heart with a stethoscope
Photo by Patty Brito on Unsplash

We can all agree that there is something to appreciate about every country in the world, but there are arguably some countries that appear to have their ducks more consistently and happily in a row than others.

While it would be easy to let pride get in the way and continue to do things the same way, the more productive thing would be to learn from the countries who have figured out a better way to do certain things, whether it's healthcare, food banks, or other services.

Keep reading...Show less
united states

People Reveal Which Universally-Loved Films They Absolutely Loathe

Movie Theater
Photo by Jake Hills on Unsplash

Every year, at the end of the Academy Awards, while the auditorium erupts in cheers upon the announcement of the Best Picture winner, as they are somewhat obligated to do, many viewers at home instead shake their heads and raise their eyebrows.

That's if they don't throw popcorn or worse at their TVs.

While those who did so when La La Land was announced as the winner in 2017 would end up getting their revenge in what remains one of the biggest blunders of Oscar history, others are still reeling at some past winners, which they believe were more worthy of a Razzie than an Oscar.

Taste being subjective, plenty of people still find themselves confused by some films which won countless awards, received across-the-board raves, and are considered classics or masterpieces, but they find to be utterly unbearable.

Often finding themselves in an unpopular minority and having to keep their opinion to themselves, similar to Seinfeild's Elaine Benes and her unique disdain for The English Patient.

Keep reading...Show less
movies

People Break Down The Biggest Design Flaws Of The Human Body

Photograph of an anatomy model
Photo by Alan Calvert on Unsplash

Everyone wishes there was something different about their body.

Smaller nose, longer legs, a different hair or eye color.

There are those, however, whose frustrations with their body are less personal, and more universal.

Finding themselves frustrated less with their own DNA, but with human anatomy in general.

Frustrated by how certain functions work the way they do, and feeling there could be significant improvements in other departments as well.

Keep reading...Show less
body

People Share The Absolute Worst Relationship Advice They've Ever Received

silhouette of hugging couple
Photo by Oziel Gómez on Unsplash

Relationships are hard, and sometimes, they're confusing. When you're having a problem with your partner, or you're inexperienced and looking for lessons, you turn to your friends and family for advice.

Sometimes, the advice is sound and helps make things better.

Other times, the advice is trash and makes everything worse.

Redditors know this all too well, and are sharing the worst relationship advice they've ever gotten.

Keep reading...Show less
relationship advice