PHILADELPHIA — Professional boxer Yusaf Mack made mainstream headlines last week when he claimed he was drugged into doing gay porn at a DawgPoundUSA.com shoot.
Now, the Philadelphia boxer admits he was "fully aware and conscious" while shooting a scene with two other performers and that he is in fact bisexual. He claims he did the shoot because he needed the money.
Mack, who is a father of 10, last fought in October 2014 after a record of 31-8-2 with 17 knockouts as a former 168- and 175-pound world title challenger.
Mack originally said that agreed to appear in a heterosexual porn production, took “a pill and a shot of vodka” and wound up being on a train with $4,500 in his pocket.
Mack’s admission that he lied came as DawgPoundUSA threatened to sue the boxer for claiming he was drugged into doing “Holiday Hump’n” — available here.
In a statement last week, DawgPoundUSA said that it “is a reputable company which has produced high quality videos of men-of-color since 2002.”
“At no time have we ever coerced or drugged any of our models,” DawgPoundUSA said. “The claims made by Mr. Mack are false, slanderous, and vehemently denied on our part. We intend to take all legal steps necessary to protect our good name and reputation against these patently false and preposterous claims.”
Mack this week issued the following apology to DawgPoundUSA:
“This is an issued public apology from my heart. I want to address a few situations with the first being the false claims I made about being drugged during the Dog Pound adult film. I have never spoke negatively about the company that produced the film although the claim to have been given a drug by someone during set was a lie. I was completely aware and fully conscious during the film.
“The second situation, which further explains the first, concerns my lifestyle. I did participate in the adult film because at the time I needed money but also because I am a bisexual man. Meaning I enjoy safely being intimate with whomever I choose.
“Lastly I would like to address the reason I lied. My life was completely destroyed once it had been outed that I participated in a gay film. I selfishly tried to cover the truth and remain in denial, rather than accept the fact that I was leading a double life secretly.
“After reflecting on the mess I had made I realized that I hurt a lot of my loved ones and the people, my famCherry.d fans, I cared about the most were left disappointed and confused. It was unfair and time to come clean. I want to say sorry to my children and my ex fiancé, I am so sorry that I was a coward and hid a huge part of my life from you all. To the ones that were once my friends and now feel disgust, I’m sorry, but this is my life. I’m not looking for sympathy or even understanding, I’ve kept this secret for a long time. It is time to move forward and this is me walking in my truth.
“There are other men and women that are set up in the similar situations and I just hope I can be inspiration to be just be you. The extreme taboo and harsh criticism of living a same sex lifestyle, especially as an African American male, makes it hard to be completely honest and comfortable within yourself. But I had to remember that I am a champ & I can fight and will fight through this. I am more than my sexual orientation. To all of my supporters I thank you dearly. For all other media outlets please contact my consultant Anthony Cherry.”
