Transgender boxer Pat Manuel says boxing “forged me into the man I’d spent my childhood imagining” after announcing retirement at 40 amid the Supreme Court debate over transgender athletes.
Manuel’s decision to retire is no surprise from a boxing perspective. More than two years have passed since a 21-second knockout defeat to Joshua Reyes ended a brief professional career at 3-1.
The former Golden Boy star announced the decision as debate continued over transgender athletes and immediately focused on the young competitors involved.
“As I’ve sat with the commentary surrounding the recent Supreme Court decision, I keep thinking about the young athletes at the center of these debates, especially Becky Pepper-Jackson,” Manuel said.
Pepper-Jackson is the West Virginia transgender student whose Supreme Court challenge ended on June 30 when the justices upheld the state’s ban on transgender girls competing on female sports teams.
“To some people, sports are just frivolous hobbies. But for many of us, they’re part of the foundation of who we are.”
Boxing Forged Pat Manuel
Before transitioning, Manuel boxed as Patricia Manuel and became a five-time national amateur champion. A shoulder injury ended hopes of competing at the 2012 Olympics before the direction of an already established boxing career changed.
Manuel has also addressed whether the impact of transitioning on a promising boxing career brought any regrets.
“I was always transgender. Transition allowed the world to see the man I’d always been. But boxing forged me into the man I’d spent my childhood imagining.”
“People sometimes ask whether I regret transitioning when it changed the trajectory of my boxing career.”
The answer was emphatic.
“Never.”
“Because boxing taught me the difference between sacrifice and compromise. Sacrifice is giving something up in service of your values. Compromise is giving yourself up to keep something you don’t want to lose.”
“I chose sacrifice. I’d make that same decision every single time.”
Pat Manuel Passes the Fight On
Manuel eventually achieved the dream of becoming a professional boxer with the backing of Golden Boy Promotions and Oscar De La Hoya.
“I can’t stress enough how thankful I am to all my coaches, teammates, sparring partners, and my boxing community that has had my back,” Manuel said.
“A special thanks to Golden Boy, Oscar De La Hoya and Eric Gomez for making my dream come true.”
At 40, walking away from competitive boxing after 24 years is hardly a surprise.
“I hope someone goes farther than I ever could. I hope they never have to choose between the sport they love and living honestly.”
Manuel left one final message.
“I may have been the first. I will not be the last.”
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a veteran boxing reporter with 15+ years of experience. He has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside since 2010. Read full bio.
