By Sam Webb for MailOnlin
The ex-wife of boxing promoter Frank Maloney has spoken of the heart-rending moment their marriage ended - when he told her he wanted to live as a woman.
Last week fight promoter Frank Maloney shocked the world of boxing by revealing he is undergoing a sex change.
Wearing a wig, lipstick, dress and heels, the 61-year-old currently lives as a woman called Kellie. She was pictured ringside for the first time since she made her revelation, attending a bout in Erfurt in Germany last night.
Now Tracey Maloney, 47, has spoken out about the late-night confession that brought to a close their two decades of marriage.
Heartbreak: Tracey Maloney, 47, has spoken out about the
late-night confession that brought to a close her marriage to former
boxing promoter Frank Maloney
Tracey and Frank Maloney before they separated. The marriage had been
in trouble for years, with Maloney struggling with depression and
suicidal thoughts, before it all came to a head in October 2009
Retired boxing manager Kellie Maloney (formerly known as Frank Maloney) looks on before a title fight in Erfurt, Germany. His ex-wife Tracey has spoken of the traumatic night he revealed to her his
secret'I wouldn’t have married him if I’d known he was a woman,' she told the Sunday Mirror.
The marriage had been in trouble for years, with Maloney struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts, before it all came to a head in October 2009.
He called her down to the kitchen at 4am as he sat at the table in tears. Finally, he admitted: 'I'm a woman.'
Ms Maloney said: 'I was utterly devastated. I knew at that moment that he had opened the lid on a box that could never ever be closed again.'
She added that he tried to convince her to maintain the facade of a happy marriage despite his confession.
The 61-year-old says she is amazed by the positive reaction of both the public and the boxing community. She also spoke of her shock at Kellie's coming out last week, claiming she would have held on to the secret for the sake of their daughters.
'He is a brilliant father but it’s been devastating for them. He was their hero.'
Ms Maloney says many of the details of her ex-husband's transformation were first revealed to her because of the media coverage.
A 1997 photo of WBC heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, right, and his promoter Frank Maloney, as they celebrate his victoryover Oliver McCall at the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas
She added that the two remain friends, even speaking on the phone daily, although she cannot bring herself to call him by the name Kellie.
The former boxing manager, who guided Lennox Lewis to the world heavyweight title, retired in October – claiming she had fallen out of love with the sport.
But it has now emerged that Maloney walked away to begin preparing for a new life as a woman, revealing: ‘I can’t keep living in the shadows’.
Maloney, who has three daughters from two marriages, is now more than a year into the transition period, learning to live as a different gender.
Change: Maloney is now more than a year into the transition period, learning to live as a different gender Under NHS guidelines, transsexuals have to live as a woman for two years before they are allowed corrective surgery.
So far the process has involved secret hormone therapy, hours of hair removal electrolysis, voice coaching and counselling.
She spoke about her ordeal in an interview on Good Morning Britain last week.
She said: 'I think I would have killed myself if I hadn't come out. I was angry with my children, my wife, it was destroying my relationships.
'That's what made me do it'.
Maloney said the hardest part was telling his wife, but says they remain ‘very good friends’.
'We’re separated now, divorced, but she’s very supportive.
'One of the saddest things, when it was coming out of my mouth, when I was telling her, I wanted to sort of catch it and put it back in, and I realised once I’d said it and we looked at each other, we knew that our marriage was over.
'But we are very good friends and we’re soul mates still, and my children have been first class.
'My eldest daughter has really been with me.
'Sophie is with me today, my 19 year old, and my young 13 year old, she’s really good. I’ve got a great team of support around me - TG
[transgender] pals, everyone has been really fantastic.'
Maloney, who was known for wearing Union Jack suits, said it would have been impossible to tell anyone in the macho world of boxing – despite making the careers of British Commonwealth and European champions such as cruiserweight title holder David Haye.
Kellie Maloney seen out walking her dogs in London last week. He said the 'feeling of wanting to be like and dress like a woman has always been there'Maloney insists she doesn’t want a new relationship.
Born in Peckham, South London, the former promoter has been politically active in the past. In 2004, Maloney stood as an independent during the London mayoral vote and was the Ukip candidate in Barking, East London, at the 2010 general election.
Yesterday, a number of boxers expressed their support. Former WBO cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson said: ‘Ignorance is the problem of others, not yours.’
Former welterweight champion Ricky Hatton added: ‘He’s still a top guy, so I don’t care.’ And Lennox Lewis posted on Facebook: ‘This world we live in
isn’t always cut and dried or black and white, and coming from the boxing fraternity, I can only imagine what a difficult decision this must be for Kellie.’
| Mail Online
The ex-wife of boxing promoter Frank Maloney has spoken of the heart-rending moment their marriage ended - when he told her he wanted to live as a woman.
Last week fight promoter Frank Maloney shocked the world of boxing by revealing he is undergoing a sex change.
Wearing a wig, lipstick, dress and heels, the 61-year-old currently lives as a woman called Kellie. She was pictured ringside for the first time since she made her revelation, attending a bout in Erfurt in Germany last night.
Now Tracey Maloney, 47, has spoken out about the late-night confession that brought to a close their two decades of marriage.
late-night confession that brought to a close her marriage to former
boxing promoter Frank Maloney
in trouble for years, with Maloney struggling with depression and
suicidal thoughts, before it all came to a head in October 2009
secret'I wouldn’t have married him if I’d known he was a woman,' she told the Sunday Mirror.
The marriage had been in trouble for years, with Maloney struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts, before it all came to a head in October 2009.
He called her down to the kitchen at 4am as he sat at the table in tears. Finally, he admitted: 'I'm a woman.'
Ms Maloney said: 'I was utterly devastated. I knew at that moment that he had opened the lid on a box that could never ever be closed again.'
She added that he tried to convince her to maintain the facade of a happy marriage despite his confession.
'He is a brilliant father but it’s been devastating for them. He was their hero.'
Ms Maloney says many of the details of her ex-husband's transformation were first revealed to her because of the media coverage.
The former boxing manager, who guided Lennox Lewis to the world heavyweight title, retired in October – claiming she had fallen out of love with the sport.
But it has now emerged that Maloney walked away to begin preparing for a new life as a woman, revealing: ‘I can’t keep living in the shadows’.
Maloney, who has three daughters from two marriages, is now more than a year into the transition period, learning to live as a different gender.
So far the process has involved secret hormone therapy, hours of hair removal electrolysis, voice coaching and counselling.
She spoke about her ordeal in an interview on Good Morning Britain last week.
She said: 'I think I would have killed myself if I hadn't come out. I was angry with my children, my wife, it was destroying my relationships.
'That's what made me do it'.
Maloney said the hardest part was telling his wife, but says they remain ‘very good friends’.
'We’re separated now, divorced, but she’s very supportive.
'One of the saddest things, when it was coming out of my mouth, when I was telling her, I wanted to sort of catch it and put it back in, and I realised once I’d said it and we looked at each other, we knew that our marriage was over.
'But we are very good friends and we’re soul mates still, and my children have been first class.
'My eldest daughter has really been with me.
'Sophie is with me today, my 19 year old, and my young 13 year old, she’s really good. I’ve got a great team of support around me - TG
[transgender] pals, everyone has been really fantastic.'
Maloney, who was known for wearing Union Jack suits, said it would have been impossible to tell anyone in the macho world of boxing – despite making the careers of British Commonwealth and European champions such as cruiserweight title holder David Haye.
Born in Peckham, South London, the former promoter has been politically active in the past. In 2004, Maloney stood as an independent during the London mayoral vote and was the Ukip candidate in Barking, East London, at the 2010 general election.
Yesterday, a number of boxers expressed their support. Former WBO cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson said: ‘Ignorance is the problem of others, not yours.’
Former welterweight champion Ricky Hatton added: ‘He’s still a top guy, so I don’t care.’ And Lennox Lewis posted on Facebook: ‘This world we live in
isn’t always cut and dried or black and white, and coming from the boxing fraternity, I can only imagine what a difficult decision this must be for Kellie.’
| Mail Online
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