Camacho, Hector: 1962—: Boxer

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Hector Camacho: 1962—: Boxer

Starting out in life as a street fighter and car thief on the tough streets of New York's Spanish Harlem, Hector "Macho" Camacho became one of boxing's most flamboyant and entertaining showmen in the 1980s and 1990s. In his younger days, Camacho had phenomenal speed and quickness and, at five-foot five inches tall, won six titles in five different weight classes. Despite an impressive record of 76-4-2, Camacho's life has been burdened by consistent drug use and legal problems.

Born to Fight

Camacho was born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, on May 24, 1962. When he was three years old, his mother left his father and moved with Camacho and his older sister, Raquel, to Spanish Harlem in New York City. The family lived in a variety of public housing projects, often lacking heat and hot water. Camacho got in his first street fight when he was nine years old. Always a boisterous, daring child, Camacho picked on an older, bigger boy in his neighborhood. When the boy got fed up and threatened to do him harm, Camacho went running home, crying to his mother. She suggested in no uncertain terms that if he didn't go back and stand up for himself, he'd have to deal with her. Dutifully, and in fear of his mother's wrath, Camacho returned to pummel the bigger boy.

Camacho's first fight was just one of many to come. On the tough streets of Spanish Harlem, he fought often and, by his count, never lost—even if he had to resort to a brick or a bat to ensure an outcome in his favor. His mother's iron will kept her son out of the local gang, the Spanish Kings, which most of his friends had joined by the age of 12. He did, however, visit the local department store, where he shoplifted his favorite toys until he had a whole collection of G.I. Joes. When his mother discovered his stash, she threw them all in the incinerator, but Camacho simply replaced his confiscated toys with another trip to the store.

Car Theft and Prison

By the time Camacho was 15, he had been expelled from six schools for fighting, and had graduated from stealing toys to stealing cars. In 1979 a botched car theft attempt led Camacho on a 30-block police chase that ended when an officer cornered him and cracked his head with the butt of his pistol. Camacho got stitches, spent a day at Rikers Island, and was put on probation.

At a Glance . . .

Born on May 24, 1962, in Bayamón, Puerto Rico; married Amy, 1991 (divorced, 2001); children: Hector, Jr. (from previous relationship), Justin, Christian, and M.C.

Career: Boxer, 1980–.

Awards: North American Boxing Federation, junior lightweight title, 1982; World Boxing Council (WBC), junior lightweight title, 1983; Super-feather weight title, ca. 1984; WBC, lightweight title, 1985; World Boxing Organization (WBO), junior welterweight title, 1989; National Boxing Association (NBA), super middleweight title, 2001.

Address: Promoter— DCP Inc., PO Box 33550, Las Vegas, NV 89133-3550. Phone: (702) 379-4018.

While still on probation, Camacho, then 17, and a friend were involved in a carjacking during which his friend stabbed the car's driver. Camacho went to prison at Rikers Island for three and a half months. As on the streets, Camacho was involved in numerous fights in prison and landed in solitary confinement. It was an eye-opening experience for Camacho, who realized that he was jeopardizing his dreams of becoming a world-class boxer. He was also concerned about his young son, Hector, Jr., born to a former girlfriend when Camacho was 17.

By the time Camacho landed at Rikers Island, he had already won the New York Golden Glove championship. He would go on to win for three consecutive years. Camacho had begun boxing when he was ten years old. Restless and full of energy, Camacho found that boxing at the local boys' club gave him a much needed outlet for his aggression. His determination and exceptional quickness, along with his legendary cocky attitude, began to earn Camacho some amateur fights.

Lightning Speed

When Camacho was 14 he began working with Robert Lee Velez, an ex-gang member who had also spent time in jail as a youth. Velez, then 38 years old, had become a butcher and moonlighted in his spare time as a boxing instructor. Impressed after seeing Camacho box, Velez began coaching him, turning the teenager from a slugger into a finesse boxer, and teaching him to use strategy along with his lightning speed to his advantage.

Camacho began attending Manhattan High School, a school for troubled kids who were too disruptive in regular high schools. There he received support and guidance from Pat Flannery, a language-arts teacher. When Camacho arrived at the school at the age of 15, he was basically illiterate. Flannery became his mentor, teacher, and father figure. He taught him how to read and helped him clear up his nearly unintelligible diction. At first Flannery discouraged Camacho's dreams of becoming a boxer, but when the boy persisted, Flannery supplied him with boxing shoes and helped him sign up for the Golden Gloves competition. It was Flannery who came up with the nickname "Macho Camacho." In 1982, with an amateur record of 96-4, Camacho quit school during his junior year to pursue a full-time boxing career.

During 1980 Camacho fought twice, winning both matches. During 1981 he stepped up his schedule, entering the ring ten times and winning all, half by KOs. In December of 1981 he beat Blaine Dickson in New York City in a 12-round contest to take the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) junior lightweight title (super-feather weight). In 1982 Camacho successfully defended his NABF junior lightweight title three times. During that year Camacho began to fight outside of New York, with bouts in Atlantic City and Las Vegas. His bout with Johnny Sato in August of 1982 earned him space in Sports Illustrated, which noted that Camacho has "the purist's blend of artistry and speed, and only occasionally reverts to some of the less refined moves he learned in the streets. He has been known to hit on the break and has a knack for spinning an opponent and then whacking him from behind." Camacho's flashy style in and out of the ring made him a prime candidate for television, and CBS booked him for six bouts that were nationally televised, greatly increasing Camacho's name recognition.

Won Titles

In August of 1983 Camacho returned to Puerto Rico to face Rafael "Bazooka" Limon for the World Boxing Council (WBC) junior lightweight title. Fighting before a crowd of 10,000 in San Juan, 21-year-old Camacho destroyed 29-year-old veteran Limon, who was at the time ranked third, earning a technical knock out (TKO) in the fifth round. Camacho entered the ring in leopard-spotted trucks with a jacket to match. Sports Illustrated reported: "A buzz saw, not a belt, whipped Limon. Camacho leaped out of his corner at the opening bell and chased Limon backward, nearly bowling him over in the first 10 seconds. Camacho dominated that round as well as the second, while Limon was able only to send out his long, slow, looping rights and lefts."

In June of 1984 Camacho, who consistently struggled with maintaining a disciplined training schedule, gave up his super-feather weight title because he couldn't make the required weight (126 pounds) to defend it. At the peak of his career, Camacho suffered a personal and professional setback after a disagreement with his manager-trainer, Billy Giles, which ended the boxer's relationship with his manager. Giles then announced that Camacho had a serious drug habit. "The streets got Camacho again," he told New York. "A lot of drugs. You could tell by his performance in the ring, the way he was starting to lose his oxygen." Camacho fell into a deep depression, and did not fight for the remainder of the year.

He returned to the ring in 1985 and claimed the WBC lightweight title in a 12-round decision in Las Vegas against Jose Luis Ramirez. He successfully defended the title twice in 1986. His bout with Edwin Rosario in June of 1986 was a split decision, and although he managed to hang on for the win, Camacho took a beating from the knock-down power punches of his opponent. After just three fights in 1987 and 1988, Camacho stepped into the ring on March 3, 1989, to defeat Ray Mancini in a 12-round decision that awarded Camacho the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior welterweight title. After two non-title bouts, Camacho defended his welterweight title twice in 1990.

Later Career Wins and Losses

Greg Haugen handed Camacho his first professional loss in 1991, breaking Camacho's perfect 39-0 record. After losing the 12-round decision, Camacho briefly relinquished the junior welterweight title; however, in 1991 he went another 12 rounds with Haugen to regain the title. In September of 1992 Camacho faced Julio César Chávez, one of the greatest boxers in the lighter weight divisions. Over his career Camacho had battled critics who thought he was a great talker and a great showman, but not a great boxer. A win over Chavez would quiet the critics. Camacho had told Sport two years earlier, "The Chavez fight is the ultimate. I have to be my very best to beat him." Unfortunately for Camacho, he lost the bout in a 12-round decision, turning over his WBC junior welterweight title and missing an opportunity to pick up the International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior welter-weight title.

After three non-title bouts in 1993, Camacho had a shot at the IBF welterweight title in 1994, against Felix "Tito" Trinidad, but lost by decision in 12 rounds. However, the next year proved to be a time of renewed commitment by Camacho. He won ten bouts, took the International Boxing Council's (IBC) welterweight title in January, and successfully defended it in two title fights during the year. In 1996 he entered the ring six times, winning five of the fights, with one draw. The highlight of his year was a 12-round win over boxing great Roberto Duran. In 1997 he pounded an aging Sugar Ray Leonard, who was making his last comeback attempt, and won by TKO in the fifth round. In March of 1997 he faced Oscar De La Hoya for a $3-million payout, the largest of his career, for the WBC welter-weight title. The younger De La Hoya outmatched Camacho, who was by then a step off his signature quickness. De La Hoya, hoping to be the first to beat Camacho by a KO, settled for being only the second fighter to knock Camacho to the ground, winning by decision.

Between 1998 and 2000, Camacho fought ten times, winning nine and fighting to a draw in another. In 2001 he once again faced Duran, who was attempting a comeback. Camacho won a 12-round decision and claimed the National Boxing Association (NBA) super middleweight title, but the fight, between two boxers now considered to be elder statesmen, had little fanfare. With no fights in 2002, Camacho returned to the ring in 2003 to win by TKO in the ninth round against Otilio Villareal. Though his own boxing career is winding down, Camacho has now become deeply involved in the boxing career of his oldest son, Hector, Jr., a successful boxer in his own right.

Legal Problems

Camacho's impressive record in the ring (76-4-2, with 37 KOs) was nearly matched by his record outside the ring. A long-time abuser of drugs and alcohol, Camacho never seemed to mature either in looks or behavior, retaining both his boyish good looks and his boyish behavior. That behavior often distracted him from focusing on training or an upcoming bout, and brought him numerous legal problems and resulting fees that ate up much of his $15 million in earnings.

In 1995 and again in 1998, Camacho's wife filed domestic abuse complaints against him, also charging him with substance abuse and adultery. His wife finally filed for divorce, which was finalized in 2001. In February of 1998 he pled guilty to charges of marijuana possession, and in the following month was arrested for driving under the influence. In November of 1998 he was ticketed for leaving the scene of an accident and charged with driving without a license, which had been suspended due to previous infractions. In March of 2001 Camacho was arrested at a nightclub in East Harlem for possession of a controlled substance. The police reported that Camacho was found with a small amount of powder cocaine. Camacho avoided prison when the case was dropped.

Camacho has not always been a popular boxer. His showboating style as "Macho Comacho" included trips to the ring in a loincloth, a diaper, a dress, a Roman gladiator's costume, leotards, an Indian costume complete with headdress, and lots of leather. But although he never achieved the level of fame of a Duran or a Leonard, Camacho was good for the sport of boxing because he brought excitement, entertainment, and enthusiasm to boxing during his long and varied career.

Sources

Books

Dictionary of Hispanic Biography, Gale, 1996.

St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, 5 vols. St. James Press, 2000.

Periodicals

Associated Press, January 23, 1998; February 3, 1998; November 24, 1998; March 5, 2001; January 19, 2003.

Denver Post, July 15, 2001, p. C3.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June 16, 2001, p. 2C.

New York, December 9, 1985.

New York Times, September 11, 1997, p. B9; September 15, 1997, p. C3.

Palm Beach Post, January 16, 1996, p. 2C.

Record (Bergen County, New Jersey), February 3, 2001, p. S4.

Sport, December 1990, p. 23-25.

Sports Illustrated, September 6, 1982, pp. 52-53; August 1, 1983, pp. 35-39; August 15, 1983, pp. 18-19; June 23, 1986, pp. 24-25; September 11, 2000, p. R6.

Sports Network, September 14, 1997.

Washington Post, March 2, 1997, p. D1.