(CNN) – The first transgender boxer is now the face of boxing brand Everlast.
The company picked Patricio Manuel for its “Be First” campaign.
Manuel said he decided to transition from female to male while recovering from a shoulder injury.
He was shunned by his trainers and gym and had to fight boxing commissions for the right to participate in the sport.
Last December, Manuel won his first professional match as a transgender fighter.
Everlast says Manuel is now a part of a new crop of trailblazers and is following in the footsteps of iconic boxers like Jack Dempsey and Sugar Ray Robinson.
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