Transgender boxer Pat Manuel has announced his retirement at 40, ending a 24-year journey in the sport after a brief professional career that closed with a 3-1 record.
Manuel’s final fight came more than two years ago, when he was stopped in 21 seconds by Joshua Reyes. Before transitioning, Manuel boxed as Patricia Manuel and became a five-time national amateur champion, though a shoulder injury ended hopes of competing at the 2012 Olympics.
Announcing his retirement, Manuel reflected on the current debate around transgender athletes and pointed to young competitors at the center of those discussions, including Becky Pepper-Jackson, the West Virginia transgender student involved in a Supreme Court challenge over participation in female sports teams.
“To some people, sports are just frivolous hobbies,” Manuel said. “But for many of us, they’re part of the foundation of who we are.”
Manuel said transitioning changed the path of his boxing career, but insisted he has no regrets. “Boxing forged me into the man I’d spent my childhood imagining,” he said. “I chose sacrifice. I’d make that same decision every single time.”
Manuel thanked his coaches, teammates, sparring partners, Golden Boy Promotions, Oscar De La Hoya and Eric Gomez for helping him achieve his dream of becoming a professional boxer. His final message was clear: “I may have been the first. I will not be the last.”
Image Credit: Olympics