Orlando Cruz (right) fights Cornelius Lock during NABO Featherweight title fight

September 19, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada

photo: Getty Images

According to a report from Blabbeando picked up by USA Today, ESPN.com and a number of other outlets, Puerto Rican professional featherweight boxer Orlando Cruz (currently ranked #4 by the WBO), has released a statement saying that he "is a proudly gay man."

The source of this quote is a Twitter account: @ElFenomenoCruz (Orlando Cruz)

If true, it would be groundbreaking and would make Cruz the first professional boxer still active in the sport to have come out. We are trying to track down further information on this.

The Blabbeando piece provides a further quote, saying it came from a press release from the boxer: "I want to try to be the best role model I can be for kids who might look into boxing as a sport and a professional career. I have and will always be a proud Puerto Rican. I have always been and always will be a proud gay man."

Cruz' s next professional fight is scheduled for Oct. 19 in Kissimmee, FL against Jorge Pazos.

Orlando Cruz

source

Boxing Scene reports that Cruz will be sitting down with Telemundo's Jessi Losada for an exclusive tell-all interview next week. Will update this post as more details are known.

Orlando Cruz in the ring