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Héctor Camacho
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Héctor Camacho (born May 24, 1962), nicknamed "Macho Camacho" , is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. His son, Héctor Camacho Jr., is also a boxer.
Early life and amateur career
Camacho was born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, but his family moved to New York when he was a child. He ran into trouble there as a teen, getting into fights and landing in jail at 15. He also learned boxing and karate as a teenager, and since he demonstrated talent as a boxer, he chose that sport as a career.
Camacho won three New York Golden Gloves Championships.
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Encyclopedia
Héctor Camacho (born May 24, 1962), nicknamed "Macho Camacho" , is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. His son, Héctor Camacho Jr., is also a boxer.
Early life and amateur career
Camacho was born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, but his family moved to New York when he was a child. He ran into trouble there as a teen, getting into fights and landing in jail at 15. He also learned boxing and karate as a teenager, and since he demonstrated talent as a boxer, he chose that sport as a career.
Camacho won three New York Golden Gloves Championships. Camacho won the 1978 112lb Sub-Novice Championship, 1979 118lb Open Championship and 1980 119lb Open Championship. In 1979 Camacho defeated Paul DeVorce of the Yonkers Police Athletic League in the finals to win the title and in 1980 Camacho defeated Tyrone Jackson in the finals to win the Championship. Camacho trained at the LaSombra Sporting Club in New York.
Professional career
After a stellar amateur career, Camacho began a quick rise through the professional rankings, first in the Featherweight and then in the Junior Lightweight division. He was so confident that he claimed he could beat World featherweight champions Salvador Sánchez and Eusebio Pedroza. However, Sanchez died when Camacho was still coming up in the ranks.
In the Junior Lightweight division, he defeated top contenders Irleis Cubanito Perez, Melvin Paul, John Montes and Refugio Rojas (Both Montes and Rojas lasted one round, and Rojas would later last seven in a world title challenge of Julio César Chávez for Chavez's world Jr. Lightweight championship).
Junior Lightweight division
When World Junior Lightweight champion Bobby Chacon refused to go to Puerto Rico to defend his title against Camacho, the WBC declared the world championship vacant, and the man Chacon had taken the title from, Rafael Limón, fought Camacho for the vacant title. It was the first time Camacho was in a ring with a former world champion, and he didn't show any lack of experience, scoring knockdowns on Limon in the first and third rounds before the referee stopped the fight in the fifth round.
His first defense also came in San Juan where he met fellow Puerto Rican Rafael Solis, whose family included former world bantamweight champion Julian Solis. Camacho got tested in this fight for the first time and was shaken in round three by a Solis uppercut, but he flattened Solis with a right to the chin in round five, knocking him out to retain the title.
Lightweight division
Next came a move to lightweight, where he won the United States Boxing Association title with a twelve round decision of Roque Montoya. His next fight made him a two time world champion. Fought on Home Box Office, Camacho beat the Mexican defending world champion, Jose Luis Ramirez in Las Vegas to win the world Lightweight championship. Camacho dropped Ramirez in round three and went on to win the fight by a unanimous twelve round decision.
The two other reigning world champions in his division at that time, Livingstone Bramble and Jimmy Paul, were reluctant to unify the crown with Camacho. Instead, he beat Freddie Roach before his next fight of importance came along, ten months after beating Ramirez.
He met Edwin Rosario in New York, once again on HBO. In a famous fight, Camacho dominated rounds one to four, but had to hang on for dear life in rounds five, six and seven when he felt Carmona's power. He came back to take rounds eight and nine, but Carmona came back taking the last three rounds. It was a close fight but Camacho won the title by split decision. After this fight, Camacho's style changed into a defensive style that seemed more intent on avoiding punishment than winning a fight.
Camacho then retained his title vs former world junior lightweight champion Cornelius Boza Edwards in Miami on a unanimous decision before going up in weight again. After a few fights there, he met former world lightweight champion Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini, who had a record of 29-3 with 23 knockouts coming into this fight, for the vacant WBO version of the world Junior Welterweight title. Camacho was the fresher of the two and ended up winning a unanimous twelve round decision, joining that exclusive group of world champion boxers who have become three time world champions.
Camacho next met Vinny Paz, winning on points again, then challenger Tony Baltazar, from Phoenix. Baltazar was another points victim on an HBO televised bout, but then Camacho lost his undefeated record and world championship to the former world Lightweight champion Greg Haugen. This latter fight would have been a draw, but the referee deducted one point from Camacho for refusing to touch gloves with Haugen at the start of the 12th round. After the fight, an unidentified substance was found in Haugen's urine, and a rematch was ordered. Camacho regained the title, beating Haugen on a close split decision.
His showdown with Mexican legend Julio César Chávez, in Las Vegas in the year 1992. Camacho, dressed as Captain America coming into the bout, lost a unanimous decision on Showtime's Pay Per View leg, SET, that night.
Among his notable wins since 1992 there are two over the Roberto Duran, beaten on points twice, once in Atlantic City and another time in Denver. In 1997, he knocked out Sugar Ray Leonard in 5 rounds. Leonard was attempting a comeback following his loss to Terry Norris in 1991. This loss sent Leonard into permanent retirement. Camacho lost title tries for the world welterweight championship vs Félix Trinidad (in 1994) and Oscar de la Hoya (in 1997), both by unanimous decisions.
Late career
On December 5, 2003, Camacho recovered from a first round knockdown (the third against him in his career) to defeat Craig Houk by knockout in round three.
Camacho won, on July 4, 2004, a unanimous ten round decision over Clinton McNeil.
On January 6, 2005, Camacho was arrested by police in Mississippi on charges of trying to burgle an electronic goods store and carrying ecstasy on him.
On July 9 he returned to the ring, in Tucson, Arizona, beating Raul Muñoz by decision after ten rounds. A small riot ensued, both inside and outside the ring and old rival, J.C. Chavez, had to be escorted out of the arena where the fight took place by security. Police are investigating this case.
Return to activity
Camacho returned to boxing on July 18, 2008, competing against Perry Ballard for the World Boxing Empire's Middleweight championship. The fight lasted seven rounds, Camacho won when Ballard's corner threw the towel. Before this fight, Camacho was trained by Angelo Dundee.
Personal Issues
Camacho's personal life ran into trouble after the Rosario fight, as he was charged with possession of drugs. However, the charges were later dropped and Camacho resumed his boxing career.
On September 17, 2006 Camacho was arrested for allegedly assaulting his live-in girlfriend, Bonita Money.
On May 29, 2007, a judge agreed to delay sentencing for three-time boxing champion Hector "Macho" Camacho until his family in Puerto Rico can finalize plans to attend the hearing.
Camacho pleaded guilty to a 2004 burglary charge on May 7 and was sent directly to jail. He faces up to seven years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
Circuit Judge Steve Simpson denied a request by Camacho's attorney for a medical and mental evaluation and declined to hear a motion to dismiss a pending drug charge against the former boxer, according to The Sun Herald.
Camacho, who is being held at the Harrison County Adult Detention Center, won super featherweight, lightweight and junior welterweight world titles in the 1980s. His last title bout came against then-welterweight champion Oscar De La Hoya in 1997, a loss by unanimous decision.
A warrant was issued for Camacho on Dec. 22, 2004, in connection with a November burglary of a computer store. He was arrested in January 2005 on the burglary charge and was also charged with drug possession after police allegedly found the drug Ecstasy (MDMA) in his hotel room at the Imperial Palace.
Camacho was placed on probation for the burglary charges, as drug charges were dropped.
On an interview published on the website, Ringsidereport.com with Dan Hernandez, Camacho proclaimed himself a newborn Christian. Then soon after he started donating to many drug rehabilitation facilities. .
Major professional championships
See also
External links
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