Boxing promoter Frank Maloney 'undergoing sex change'

Former boxing promoter Frank Maloney is undergoing a sex change, it has been reported.

The 61-year-old, who guided Lennox Lewis to the world heavyweight title, has told how she now lives as a woman called Kellie.

She told the Sunday Mirror: “I wasn’t born into the right body, I have always known I was a woman. I can’t keep living in the shadows.”

The newspaper told in a six-page story how Kellie’s unhappiness over her secret wish to be a woman ended her marriage, and she has no intention of looking for a relationship in her new life.

“At this very moment I am preparing to live the rest of my life as a single person,” she says.

She says the boxing community can think whatever it wants about her now.

“I hope society will be open minded. I know I could have done my job in boxing as a female.”

This is the world we are living in right now, good man @FrankMalony start living your life, happiness comes from within

— Kenneth Egan OLY (@kenegan30) August 10, 2014

Maloney, who also worked with Irish boxer Darren Sutherland, announced his intention to call time on his 30-year career with immediate effect last October.

His decision brought an end to a colourful career which saw him guide Lewis to glory despite memorably being derided as a ”mental midget” by US promoter Don King.

Lewis took to Twitter when Maloney retired to say: ”Big up 2FrankMaloney on a massive career in the fight game. Gonna miss those Union Jack suits. All the best to u and urs.”

Maloney’s garish suits might have earned him fame as Lewis’s sidekick, but his jovial image belied a shrewd boxing brain as he swerved King’s obstacles to lead Lewis to the top.

Maloney told the Press Association when he retired: ”Boxing has given me some great times but it’s not the same business I grew to love any more.

”The characters have gone and gradually over the last six months I have realised that I don’t want to be involved in it any more.

”I am now going to go travelling through Europe with my two Airedales and see how far I can get. You never know, in six months I might miss it, but I know now it is the right time to finish.”