Puerto Rican boxer Orlando Cruz was BOTD in 1981. Born in Yabucoa, he began boxing aged seven and had a successful amateur career, progressing to professional status in his teens and competing in featherweight and lightweight categories. In 2000, he represented Puerto Rico at the Sydney Olympics. In 2012, he publicly announced his homosexuality, becoming the first openly gay professional boxer. His coming out was positively received by the boxing community, and he became a prominent advocate for LGBTQ participation in sports. He married his longtime partner Jose Manuel Colon in 2013, months after being inducted into the National Gay & Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame. He retired from professional boxing in 2018, amassing 25 wins from 34 professional matches throughout his career. He remains active as a public speaker and LGBTQ advocate.