(AZ Family) – Everlast, the leading brand in boxing, has chosen an unlikely athlete to be the new face of the brand. The company picked Patricio Manuel for its “Be First” campaign. Manuel is the first transgender boxer to compete professionally. As a woman, Manuel was a USA National Amateur Boxing Champion and was invited to compete in the 2012 Olympics trials.

However, a shoulder injury during Olympic qualifying changed everything, Everlast said in a news release. While Manuel was recovering from the injury he decided to transition from female to male. It proved to be the toughest fight of his life. He was shunned and abandoned by his trainers and gym, and he had to fight the boxing commissions until they recognized regulations on transgender people in the sport, the news release said. READ MORE