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Transgender boxer Patricio Manuel insists he will continue boxing despite suffering the first loss of his pro career.

In 2018, Manuel became the first transgender man to box professionally when he beat Hugo Aguilar on points.

Manuel fell to 3-1 as a pro last weekCredit: GETTY

Manuel was a five-time US Women's amateur champion before undergoing gender reassignment surgery in 2015.

Up until last week, the super featherweight prospect was undefeated at 3-0 in the paid ranks but that all changed when he ran into Joshua Brian Reyes at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California on April 4.

Reyes, who was competing in his sixth pro bout (4-2), upset the odds by knocking out Manuel in just 21 seconds.

Reacting to the devastating defeat, Manuel took to Instagram on Saturday to deliver a defiant statement.

"I’m not one to hide my face no matter the outcome….I lost last night," Manuel wrote.

"I trained my a off, had great sparring, cut no corners. But sometimes s doesn’t go your way.

"It’s a risk we all take when we step in the ring. It’s what is exciting about boxing - and also the most heartbreaking.

"The most important part is I am healthy. I am deeply disappointed and to be honest, my ego is bruised.

"But I refuse to bow my head in shame. I’ve never been one to play it safe and sometimes that means I fail. And life has taught me over and over again that failure will not break me.

"Thank you to everyone who has been (and hopefully will still be) in my corner."

Manuel remains the only trans boxer to compete professionally in the sport at the time of writing.

In 2023, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman announced plans to create a new trans boxing division that would adopt an 'at birth rule', meaning a trans fighter born a man will only be able to compete against a fellow trans fighter born a man with the same ruling applying to trans fighters born as women.

The WBC put out a 'global call' to tally up the number of trans athletes willing to compete in the sport.

However, Sulaiman has since confirmed that the response to joining the division has been 'very minimal'.