Meet the first boxer in US history to fight as a woman...and then as a man

Patricio Manuel, 32, says he spends most of his morning training sessions thinking about the journey that got him to where he is now.

And it's a long journey as Manuel, from Los Angeles, California, underwent gender-reassignment surgery, becoming the first boxer in US history to fight first as a woman and later as a man.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Manuel detailed the challenges he overcame to get to place where he says he is 'living his truth' for the first time. 

Patricio Manuel, 32, from Los Angeles, California made history as the first boxer in US history to fight first as a woman (left, in 2010) and later as a man (right, in 2016)

His mother said she knew from an early age that Manuel, born Patricia, was different from other girls her age. His grandmother was the one who pushed him into boxing in high school, gifting him with a boxing club membership at Christmas to help him lose weight (Pictured. Manuel, right, at unknown date, with professional boxer Lucia Rijker)

Manuel's mother, Loretta Butler, said she knew from an early age that her daughters, Patricia and Megan, were different from other girls.

'Every Christmas I would be buying toys at Toys 'R' Us and everybody would say, "You have two boys at home, huh?" Neither Megan nor Pat played with dolls,' she told the LA Times. 'They both wore boys' clothes.'

Butler says that when she looks back, she can't believe she missed the clues for both Manuel and his sister Megan, who is gay.

'There were early signs about probably what [Pat] was going through that I wasn't educated enough or wise enough to realize,' Butler said. 

'Men act like this and women act like this. And you have to fit into those two binaries. It's ridiculous because people don't fit into that.

'Pat has always been a male. It's just Pat was not assigned properly at birth.' 

Manuel (pictured, January 2017) spent years training with Roberto Luna, who trained three Olympians. Manuel was to be the fourth before missed two Olympic qualifying trials in 2012 to rehabilitate s shoulder injury in a fight that was to be his last as a female

On the trip home from that fight, Manuel (pictured, June 2016) made the decision to transition

Manuel said his grandmother was the one who pushed him into boxing in high school, gifting him with a boxing club membership at Christmas to help him lose weight.

Manuel spent years with Roberto Luna, who trained three Olympians. Manuel was to bet he fourth before he had to miss two Olympic qualifying trials in 2012 to rehabilitate s shoulder injury in a fight that was to be his last as a female.

On the trip home from that fight, he made the decision to transition.

'I said, "OK, if that's going to make you happy",' his mother, Butler, said. 'I told him I would support him 100 percent in whatever he chose to do. The bottom line is it doesn't matter to me. I just want him to be happy. It was a natural transition.'

Manuel started the process with hormone treatment in September 2013. In less than five months, he gained 15 pounds, grew facial hair and his voice dropped a couple of octaves.

The following spring, 26 months after his final fight as a woman, Manuel flew to Salt Lake City for surgery, which involved the removal of the breasts and the shaping of a male-contoured chest, a $6,000 surgery that his grandmother paid for.

'I'm a masculine person but I don't want to be a man necessarily,' Manuel said at the time of the surgery.

'I want to be, I guess, free of those binds. But because we live in a world where it's male or female, I have to shift over...I want to be able to compete with males.' 

Manuel started the process with hormone treatment in September 2013. In less than five months, he gained 15 pounds, grew facial hair and his voice dropped a couple of octaves (Pictured, left, as a woman in October 2011, and right, as a man in May 2016)

The following spring, Manuel flew to Salt Lake City for surgery, which involved the removal of the breasts and the shaping of a male-contoured chest, a $6,000 surgery his grandmother paid for (pictured, left, as woman at unknown date and right, as a man in October 2016)

The transition wasn't easy. He was denied jobs, kicked out of gyms and even cut ties with his former trainer, Luna.

He has since begun training with Vic Valenzuela, who trained a number of decorated fighters at the Duarte Boxing Club.

'Honestly, he's just one of the guys,' Valenzuela told the LA Times. He would even correct boxers when they referred to Pat as 'she' as he completed the transition.

When the International Olympic Committee changed its policies last year, ruling that female-to-male transgender athletes should be allowed to compete 'without restriction', USA Boxing approved Manuel's license.

When the International Olympic Committee changed its policies last year, ruling that female-to-male transgender athletes should be allowed to compete 'without restriction', USA Boxing approved Manuel's license (Pictured, Manuel receiving hormone treatment, May 2016)

Manuel says he has struggled with boxers occasionally canceling fights with him once they learned. But, on the 2016 Cinco de Mayo card, Manuel-then 30, made history by becoming the first transgender boxer to first fight as a woman and then as a man (Pictured, weighing in for the first time as a male boxer, February 2016)

Not everybody wanted to fight Manuel. Many boxers dropped out of fights after learning he was transgender.

'The toughest part of transitioning has been having pre-set matches inexplicably fall out,' Manuel said. 'Vic and I have gone to shows and watched opponents leave without explanation moments after a fight was made official.'

Finally, on the 2016 Cinco de Mayo card at the South El Monte Community Center, Manuel, then-30, made history as the first in US boxing history to feature a fighter who has transitioned from female to male. 

'It's hard to describe if you've never been so uncomfortable in your own skin. It's like I'm finally living my truth,' he said. 'For a long time I forced a narrative that I didn't really believe just because I didn't feel I had another way around it.' 

Later this year, Manuel will make his professional debut. But he says there is a lot to look forward to. He has moved in with his girlfriend, Amita Swahdin, and together they own a four-year-old put bull mix named Gingko (pictured with Manuel, May 2017)

'Now I'm finally myself,' he said. 'I'm finally comfortable in my own skin, comfortable here, comfortable with myself' (Manuel pictured with Swahdin and Gingko, March 2017)

Manuel has only fought once in the last 14 months, but later this year will make his professional debut, at an age many fighters consider retirement. 

But there is plenty to look forward to, he says. Manuel has moved in with his girlfriend, Amita Swahdin, and together they own a four-year-old put bull mix named Gingko. He says he finally feels truly at home. 

'Now I'm finally myself,' he said. 'I'm finally comfortable in my own skin, comfortable here, comfortable with myself.'