Olympian Orlando Cruz came out in 2012, making him the first openly gay professional boxer in the sport's history. "I want to be true to myself. I want to try to be the best role model I can be for kids who might look into boxing as a sport and a professional career," Cruz told Boxing Scene at the time. "I have and will always be a proud Puerto Rican. I have always been and always will be a proud gay man."
In 2016, Cruz dedicated a win to the victims, family members, and survivors of the Pulse nightclub shooting, which occurred a month before and less than 20 miles away from the fight. "At first, I was sad [after the shooting]," Cruz said. "Second, angry . . . because they attacked my community." He added, "I want people to be more friendly, that people accept the community of LGBT."
