MANILA, Philippines — Patricio Manuel, the first transgender professional boxer, is now part of premier boxing brand Everlast's "Be First" campaign.
Manuel, who was sidelined by an injury while competing in the 2012 Olympic trials, fought his way back into the ring after transitioning to become a male fighter.
"Everlast is humanizing the world of boxing in a way that's never been done before by shedding light on inspiring athletes like Patricio Manuel," said Everlast in an email to UK-based website Mashable.
"This is the first step of many campaigns you can expect to see from Everlast within the next year that defy norms and highlights all kinds of fighters," they added.
The "Be First" campaign champions underdogs in the sport, including amputee boxer Jinji Martinez.
According to Mashable, Everlast named the campagin after the boxing term "Be First", which encourages boxers to fore their opponents to follow their lead.
source: philstar.com
