Francisco is as friendly as they come, as are his co-trainers (guest straight pro boxer) Jason Quick and (model) Parker Gregory. There’s no machismo or attitude in the room.
Aside from being full of gay guys, is the club different from straight boxing clubs in any way? Training with Francisco for a while now, it’s all built on a culture of mutual respect for one another as well as trust, acceptance and encouragement. So I wanted a club that was tailored just for them-for fun, social guys who want the best workout possible in the best environment possible. It allows you to develop self-defense skills, builds confidence, and is physically AND mentally challenging. It has been marketed as gruesome and intimidating yet it is one of the most beautiful sports to watch. Also, boxing has always been a tough man’s sport. Working out and wellness in general is important to many of them, and while conditioning for boxing requires being in the best shape possible, I don’t think many would want to step into a traditional boxing gym. All of us have been to the parties and clubs, and that can be great, but I think we collectively have wanted something else to do that’s fun - but won’t leave you with a hangover - and fits with our current lifestyles. Why did you want to start a boxing club exclusive for gay men? I’ve wanted to do something with and for my group of friends outside of the typical scene for a long time. I asked Francisco one day if he would be interested in leading a whole group of gay guys and teach a “gentleman’s boxing” class, and he didn’t hesitate. That is, there is Soul Cycle, Barry’s and others that attract gay guys but nothing like learning and training for the sport like a real boxer trains. But, as he explains after a fight in Magdalena Culhuacán on the outskirts of Mexico City, still sweating and with a seriously injured jaw, he found that he could make more money playing an effeminate man for laughs.Īmong the audience, regardless of whether there's an Exótico in the ring, strong gay slurs always pepper the chants.I also noticed there was nothing as “raw” as this in the gay community. In fact, although most Exóticos are gay on and off stage, there are also fighters like Máximo, who lead a straight life out of the ring. Ramos admits that without a doubt, it's problematic that Exóticos involve stereotyping of gays, and that homosexuality is played for laughs. The Exótico will pin down his opponent, or the ref, and plant a big, wet kiss on them. But their technical skills are often overshadowed by their overt sexuality - and by the audience chants: Inevitably, as soon as an Exótico takes the ring, the audience begins to chant " Beso! Beso! Beso!" - demanding a kiss.Īnd they get what they ask for. Back then they didn't wear makeup, and they weren't as overtly sexual as they are today.ĭespite their antics, Exóticos fight like the best of them. He says Exóticos are nothing new: they've been around since at least the 1940s.
They flirt with the ref, blow kisses at the crowd and come on strongly to other fighters.įilmmaker Michael Ramos recently made a documentary about them called Los Exóticos. With names that might well be titles of Danielle Steel novels en Español - like Diva Salvaje, Pasión Kristal and El Bello Califa (Beautiful Califa) - they participate in regular fights, but wearing full makeup and often very feminine outfits. It's also an unlikely niche for Mexico's LGBT community.Įxóticos - or Exotics - are campy, mostly gay, male luchadores, or fighters. They make big threats and promise spectacular smackdowns. It's a sport that's generally associated with machismo: buff fighters with names like Nemesis and Aguila Imperial (Imperial Eagle) strut around in a rope-bound ring, wearing shiny spandex outfits and colorful masks.
Professional wrestling, known as lucha libre - literally, freestyle wrestling - is a big deal in Mexico.