In 2018, Patricio Manuel became the first transgender boxer to compete in a professional fight (which he won). Manuel began his career as a female competitor in the early 2000s, seeing success on the amateur levels before making the decision to medically transition, despite the effect it might have on his career; Manuel told CNBC in 2019 that he lost his coach, gym, jobs, and some of his friends during the transition.
"Regardless of what your goals are, whether you are trans, whether you are an athlete or not, our dreams have big costs," he said. "It all requires risk for us to find that reward." He continued, "We only have one life to live. As cliché as that sounds, I really try to live my life having the least amount of regrets as possible."
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