Héctor Camacho
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Héctor Luís Camacho Matías (May 24, 1962 – November 24, 2012), commonly known by his nickname "Macho" Camacho, was a Puerto Rican
professional boxer Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional bouts are supervised by a regulatory autho ...
and entertainer. Known for his quickness in the ring and flamboyant style, Camacho competed professionally from 1980 to 2010, and was a world champion in three weight classes. He held the WBC super featherweight title from 1983 to 1984, the WBC
lightweight Lightweight is a weight class in combat sports and rowing. Boxing Professional boxing The lightweight division is over 130 pounds (59 kilograms) and up to 135 pounds (61.2 kilograms) weight class in the sport of boxing. Notable lightweight ...
title from 1985 to 1987, and the WBO
junior welterweight Light welterweight, also known as junior welterweight or super lightweight, is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Professional boxing In professional boxing, light welterweight is contested between the lightweight and welterweight divisions, ...
title twice between 1989 and 1992. In a storied amateur career, Camacho won three
New York Golden Gloves The New York Golden Gloves boxing tournament was considered by many boxing aficionados as one of the most elite Golden Gloves titles, along with the Chicago Golden Gloves. Named for the small golden gloves given out to the winners of each weigh ...
tournaments, beginning with the Sub-Novice 112 lbs championship in 1978. During his professional career, Camacho had many notable fights against some of the biggest names in boxing, defeating
Roberto Durán Roberto Durán Samaniego (born June 16, 1951) is a Panamanian former professional boxer who competed from 1968 to 2001. He held world championships in four weight classes: lightweight, welterweight, light middleweight and middleweight, as w ...
twice late in Duran's career, and knocking out
Sugar Ray Leonard Ray Charles Leonard (born May 17, 1956), best known as "Sugar" Ray Leonard, is an American former professional boxer, motivational speaker, and occasional actor. Often regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time, he competed professional ...
to send him into permanent retirement. He also fought Julio César Chávez, Félix Trinidad, and
Oscar De La Hoya Oscar De La Hoya ( , ; born on February 4, 1973) is an American boxing promoter and former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2008. His accolades include winning 11 world titles in six weight classes, including the lineal championshi ...
, among others. During his later years, Camacho expanded his popular role and appeared on a variety of Spanish-language
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shows including Univision's' dancing show ''
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'' and a weekly segment on the popular show '' El Gordo y La Flaca'', named "Macho News". However, he also had much-publicized troubles with drug abuse and criminal charges. In 2005, Camacho was arrested for burglary, a charge to which he would later plead guilty. In 2011 he was shot at three times by would-be carjackers in San Juan, but was uninjured. In late 2012, Camacho was awaiting trial in Florida on charges of physical abuse of one of his sons. On November 20, 2012, Camacho was shot and seriously wounded while sitting in a car outside a bar in his native Bayamón; the driver, a childhood friend, was killed in the shooting. Camacho died four days later; after he was declared clinically brain dead, his mother requested the doctors remove him from life support. After lying in repose for two days in Santurce, Camacho's remains were transported to New York for burial at the request of his mother.


Early life and amateur career

Camacho was born in Bayamón,
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
, to Héctor Luis Camacho Sr. and his wife María Matías. He was the second youngest of five children, which included a younger brother,
Felix Felix may refer to: * Felix (name), people and fictional characters with the name Places * Arabia Felix is the ancient Latin name of Yemen * Felix, Spain, a municipality of the province Almería, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, ...
and sisters Raquel, Estrella, and Esperanza. When he was three, his parents separated, and his mother took the children with her to New York City. They lived in the
James Weldon Johnson James Weldon Johnson (June 17, 1871June 26, 1938) was an American writer and civil rights activist. He was married to civil rights activist Grace Nail Johnson. Johnson was a leader of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peop ...
housing project in
Spanish Harlem East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem or and historically known as Italian Harlem, is a neighborhood of Upper Manhattan, New York City, roughly encompassing the area north of the Upper East Side and bounded by 96th Street to the south, F ...
. Camacho attended local schools and ran into trouble as a teen, getting into street fights and landing in jail at fifteen. Pat Flannery, a language teacher in high school, helped the youth, teaching him to read and "acting like a father figure". When Camacho learned boxing and karate as a teenager, Flannery guided him to the
Golden Gloves The Golden Gloves is the name given to annual competitions for amateur boxing in the United States, where they are awarded a belt and a ring. And the title of nations champion is awarded. The Golden Gloves is a term used to refer to the Nation ...
competitions. Demonstrating talent as a boxer, Camacho chose that sport as a career. As an amateur, Camacho won three New York Golden Gloves Championships. Camacho won the 1978 112 lb Sub-Novice Championship, 1979 118 lb Open Championship, and 1980 119 lb Open Championship."Macho" Camacho
- Boxing.com.
In 1979 Camacho defeated Paul DeVorce of the
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in the finals to win the title, and, in 1980, Camacho defeated Tyrone Jackson in the finals to win the Championship. In 1980 Camacho won
Intercity Golden Gloves Intercity Golden Gloves is an amateur boxing tournament which is considered by many boxing aficionados as one of the three most elite Golden Gloves titles, along with the Chicago Golden Gloves and the New York Golden Gloves. Goal The Intercity ...
, defeating Orlando Johnson of Chicago. Camacho completed his amateur career, having a hundred fights under his belt, with 96 wins, and 4 losses. Camacho's nickname of "Macho" has been explained in various ways. According to his father, he gave him the nickname because he was his youngest son. According to the ''
New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', his mentor Pat Flannery is the one who gave him the nickname during his teens. According to Camacho himself, the nickname came as a result of American co-workers at a factory who couldn't pronounce his last name.


Amateur Highlights

Camacho's major achievements in the amateur boxing: * 1978 New York Golden Gloves Flyweight Sub-Novice Champion * 1979 New York Golden Gloves Bantamweight Open Champion * 1979 Intercity Golden Gloves 119-Pound Champion * 1980 New York Golden Gloves Bantamweight Open Champion * 1980 Intercity Golden Gloves 125-Pound Champion


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 Eusebio Pedroza (March 2, 1956 – March 1, 2019) was a Panamanian boxer who held the WBA and lineal featherweight championship from 1978 to 1985, having defended the title against 18 different contenders, more than any other boxer in featherwe ...
. However, Sánchez died while Camacho was still coming up in the ranks. In the junior-lightweight division, he defeated the top contenders Irleis ''Cubanito'' Perez, Melvin Paul, John Montes, and Refugio Rojas.


Super featherweight

When the World Junior Lightweight champion, Bobby Chacón, refused to go to Puerto Rico to defend his title against Camacho, the
World Boxing Council The World Boxing Council (WBC) is an international professional boxing organization. It is among the four major organizations which sanction professional boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Association (WBA), International Boxing Federation ...
(WBC) declared the world championship vacant.
Rafael Limón Rafael Limón Burgos, also known as ''Bazooka Limón'' (born 13 January 1954) is a Mexican former professional boxer who held the WBC super featherweight title twice between 1980 and 1982. He also challenged for the same title in 1979 and 198 ...
, who had been defeated and lost the championship to Chacon, fought Camacho for the vacant title. It was the first time Camacho was in a ring with a former world champion; he scored a knockdown on Limón late in the third round and twice more in the fifth round before the referee stopped it. Camacho also fought his first defense in San Juan, where he met Rafael Solis, a fellow Puerto Rican. He knocked out Solis with a right to the chin in round five, and retained the title.


Lightweight

Moving up to lightweight, Camacho won the
United States Boxing Association The International Boxing Federation (IBF) is one of four major organizations recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) which sanctions professional boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Counci ...
title against Roque Montoya with a twelve-round decision. His victory in the next fight, broadcast on
Home Box Office Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television, premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office busi ...
(HBO), made him a two-time world champion. Camacho beat the Mexican defending world champion,
José Luis Ramírez José Luis Ramírez (born December 3, 1958) is a Mexican former professional boxer who was a two-time World Lightweight Champion. Career A native of Huatabampo, Sonora and a resident of Culiacán, Ramírez made his professional debut on March ...
in
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to win the WBC world Lightweight championship. Camacho dropped Ramirez in round three and won the fight by a unanimous twelve-round decision. The two other reigning world champions in his division at that time,
Livingstone Bramble Ras-I Alujah Bramble (born Livingstone Bramble on September 3, 1960) is the former WBA Lightweight boxing Champion of the World. Bramble was raised on Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. He became the first world champion from Saint Kitts and Nev ...
and
Jimmy Paul Jimmy Paul (born August 27, 1959 in Detroit, MI) is an American former professional boxer in the lightweight division. He was the International Boxing Federation's world Lightweight champion from 1985-when he beat Harry Arroyo by a 15 round unanimo ...
, were reluctant to unify the crown with Camacho. Instead, he beat
Freddie Roach Frederick Steven Roach (born March 5, 1960) is an American boxing trainer and former professional boxer. Roach is widely regarded as one of the best boxing trainers of all time. He is the enduring boxing coach of the eight-division world champio ...
before his next fight of importance came along, ten months after beating Ramírez. He met former WBC lightweight champion
Edwin Rosario Edwin "Chapo" Rosario Rivera (; March 15, 1963 – December 1, 1997) was a Puerto Rican professional boxer who competed from 1979 to 1997. He is a world champion in two weight classes, having held the WBC lightweight title from 1983 to 1984, ...
on June 13, 1986, at Madison Square Garden in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
, a bout also broadcast on HBO. The fight was notable for the shifts of dominance between the men. Camacho dominated rounds one to four, but had to hang on in rounds five, six and seven, when he felt Rosario's power. He came back to take rounds eight and nine, but Rosario came back to take the last three rounds. It was a close fight, but Camacho retained the title by a split decision of the judges. Camacho retained his title against
Cornelius Boza-Edwards Cornelius Boza-Edwards (born Cornelius Bbosa; 27 May 1956) is the former WBC Super Featherweight Champion of the World. Born in Kampala, Uganda, he fought in both the super-featherweight and lightweight divisions. He emigrated from Uganda to En ...
, a former world junior lightweight champion, in
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
in a unanimous decision, after dropping Edwards in the first round.


Light welterweight

He went up in weight and competed at the next level. After a few fights there, he met Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini, the former world lightweight champion who had a record of 29–3 with 23 knockouts, for the vacant WBO Light Welterweight title. Camacho was the fresher of the two and won a split twelve-round decision. He joined that exclusive group of world champion boxers who have become world champions in three weight divisions. Camacho next met
Vinny Pazienza Vinny Paz (born Vincenzo Edward Pazienza, December 16, 1962), formerly Vinny Pazienza, is an American former professional boxer who held world titles at lightweight and light middleweight. The 2016 film ''Bleed for This'' is based on his comebac ...
, whom he defeated on points. His next challenger was Tony Baltazar, from
Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
. He defeated Baltazar by points in a fight televised by HBO. His undefeated streak came to an end, and he lost his world championship to
Greg Haugen Greg Lee Haugen (born August 31, 1960) is a retired American boxer. Haugen was champion at both the lightweight and light welterweight classes. He trained under Jim Montgomery. Haugen turned pro in 1982 and won his first 17 fights before challen ...
, the former world Lightweight champion. The referee had 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 in a close split decision. In 1992 in Las Vegas, Camacho met Julio César Chávez, a formidable Mexican champion who was undefeated 81–0. Camacho entered the ring in an outfit based on the Puerto Rican flag; the fight was televised by
Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...
's
Pay Per View Pay-per-view (PPV) is a type of pay television or webcast service that enables a viewer to pay to watch individual events via private telecast. Events can be purchased through a multichannel television platform using their electronic program guid ...
. Camacho was later criticized by some in the boxing press for his retreating tactics during the fight; Chávez kept pushing the fight and harassed him with hard punches to the body. The bout ended with a victory for Chávez by unanimous decision. Since 1992 Camacho's notable fights included two victories (by points) over
Roberto Durán Roberto Durán Samaniego (born June 16, 1951) is a Panamanian former professional boxer who competed from 1968 to 2001. He held world championships in four weight classes: lightweight, welterweight, light middleweight and middleweight, as w ...
, (one in Atlantic City, the other in
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). In 1997, he knocked out
Sugar Ray Leonard Ray Charles Leonard (born May 17, 1956), best known as "Sugar" Ray Leonard, is an American former professional boxer, motivational speaker, and occasional actor. Often regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time, he competed professional ...
in five rounds. This loss sent the forty-one-year-old Leonard into permanent retirement, putting an end to his third comeback attempt six years after a loss to
Terry Norris Terry is a unisex given name, derived from French Thierry and Theodoric. It can also be used as a diminutive nickname for the names Teresa or Theresa (feminine) or Terence or Terrier (masculine). People Male * Terry Albritton (1955–2005), Ame ...
in 1991.


Welterweight and later career

Camacho fought for the
World Welterweight Championship In its most general sense, the term "world" refers to the totality of entities, to the whole of reality or to everything that is. The nature of the world has been conceptualized differently in different fields. Some conceptions see the worl ...
against Félix Trinidad (1994) and
Oscar De La Hoya Oscar De La Hoya ( , ; born on February 4, 1973) is an American boxing promoter and former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2008. His accolades include winning 11 world titles in six weight classes, including the lineal championshi ...
(1997), but he lost both matches by unanimous decisions. On December 5, 2003, Camacho faced Craig Houk. It was an odd fight, as Houk continuously turned his back on Camacho throughout the fight. Camacho had Houk in trouble in the first round before Houk caught an overzealous Camacho with a left hook and floored him, the third knockdown against him in his career. Camacho bounced back up and battered Houk for the remainder of the round. He knocked Houk near the end of the first and eventually won by knockout in round three. He won consecutive unanimous ten-round decisions over Clinton McNeil and Raúl Jorge Muñoz. After that, his boxing career went on hiatus, as he faced criminal charges. He pled guilty to burglary and acknowledged drug abuse, but was given probation. 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 Angelo is an Italian masculine given name and surname meaning "angel", or "messenger". People People with the given name *Angelo Accattino (born 1966), Italian prelate of the Catholic Church *Angelo Acciaioli (bishop) (1298–1357), Italian Rom ...
. His last two fights resulted in a draw and a loss, against Luis Ramón Campas and Saúl Duran, respectively. His last fight against Duran was on May 14, 2010.


Later years and troubles


2005 burglary

On January 6, 2005, Camacho was arrested by police in Gulfport,
Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
on charges of trying to burgle an electronic goods store and carrying the drug ecstasy on him. In 2007, he pleaded guilty to being under the influence at the time of the burglary. He was sentenced to 7 years in prison, but a judge eventually suspended all but one year of the sentence and gave Camacho
probation Probation in criminal law is a period of supervision over an offender, ordered by the court often in lieu of incarceration. In some jurisdictions, the term ''probation'' applies only to community sentences (alternatives to incarceration), such ...
. He served two weeks in jail after violating that probation.


2011 shooting

On February 12, 2011, Camacho was attacked near the Luis Lloréns Torres housing project in San Juan. Camacho said he was taking a friend to a nearby bar when two men approached his vehicle (a 2005
BMW X5 The BMW X5 is a mid-size luxury SUV produced by BMW. The X5 made its debut in 1999 as the E53 model. It was BMW's first SUV. At launch, it featured all-wheel drive and was available with either a manual or automatic gearbox. The second generati ...
) and tried to
carjack Carjacking is a robbery in which the item taken over is a motor vehicle.Michael Cherbonneau, "Carjacking," in ''Encyclopedia of Social Problems'', Vol. 1 (SAGE, 2008: ed. Vincent N. Parrillo), pp. 110-11. In contrast to car theft, carjacking is ...
him. When he tried to drive away, they shot at him three times. He said that since "everybody loves me," he didn't think the men had realized who he was. He did not file a police report.


2012 shooting and death

On November 20, 2012, around 7 p.m. AST, Camacho was shot once in the jaw while sitting in a car, on
Puerto Rico Highway 167 Puerto Rico Highway 167 (PR-167) is one of the main highways in the San Juan–Caguas–Guaynabo metropolitan area of Puerto Rico. Highway 167 starts at Puerto Rico Highway 165 in Levittown and goes until Puerto Rico Highway 156 in Comerío ...
, in Bayamón. Camacho, 50, was seated in the passenger seat of a friend's Ford Mustang when he was shot by unknown individuals from a passing SUV. The driver of the car, Adrian Mojica Moreno, Camacho's childhood friend, was killed in the attack. Camacho was taken to San Pablo Hospital in Bayamón, where he was reported to be in critical condition. Police said a chase took place and that the vehicle from which the shots were fired was found in the area of Jardines de Cataño. There were conflicting media reports, with an early claim that police arrested a suspect around 9 p.m. AST. Police investigating the incident said they found nine bags of
cocaine Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly used recreationally for its euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South Ameri ...
in the car. The bullet pierced Camacho's left
mandible In anatomy, the mandible, lower jaw or jawbone is the largest, strongest and lowest bone in the human facial skeleton. It forms the lower jaw and holds the lower teeth in place. The mandible sits beneath the maxilla. It is the only movable bone ...
and fractured his fifth and sixth
cervical vertebra In tetrapods, cervical vertebrae (singular: vertebra) are the vertebrae of the neck, immediately below the skull. Truncal vertebrae (divided into thoracic and lumbar vertebrae in mammals) lie caudal (toward the tail) of cervical vertebrae. In sa ...
e, lodging in his right shoulder and forming a lesion on his carotid artery that restricted blood flow to his brain. At one point doctors announced Camacho was expected to survive but might be paralyzed, but after he suffered a
cardiac arrest Cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. It is a medical emergency that, without immediate medical intervention, will result in sudden cardiac death within minutes. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and poss ...
during the night, doctors said they could find only minimal brain activity. The morning after the shooting, Rafael Rodríguez Mercado, director of the Medical Sciences Campus, reported to ''
El Nuevo Día ''El Nuevo Día'' (English: ''The New Day'') is the newspaper with the largest circulation in Puerto Rico. It was founded in 1909 in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and today it is a subsidiary of GFR Media. Its headquarters are in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. ...
'' that Camacho was brain stem dead. "His full recovery would be a miracle; medically there is nothing more that can be done," stated Rodríguez Mercado. This was confirmed the next morning by Ernesto Torres, director of the hospital. Camacho's mother Maria Matias announced on November 23 plans to have her son taken off life support once his three remaining sons arrived in Puerto Rico to be with him. Héctor Camacho was officially declared dead after a heart attack the following day. It was not possible for any of his organs to be donated to recipients because of the time that had passed between him being found clinically brain dead and when his heart stopped. He is survived by his parents, his sons, two grandsons, his brother FélixBRUCE WEBER, "Hector Camacho, 50, Boxer Who Lived Dangerously, Dies"
''New York Times'', November 24, 2012
and his sisters Raquel, Estrella and Esperanza. His oldest son, Hector Camacho Jr., said violence had overtaken Puerto Rico. "Death, jail, drugs, killings," he said. "That's what the streets are now." Puerto Rico's former governor, Luis Fortuno, said "'Macho' will always be remembered for his spontaneity and charisma in and out of the ring." Puerto Rican governor-elect, Alejandro Garcia Padilla, said Camacho had "united the country"; "We celebrated his triumphs in the streets and we applauded him with noble sportsmanship when he didn't prevail." Asked how he wished his son to be remembered, his father said for his clowning around and that he was a happy person, that he had revolutionized boxing by how he was dressed upon entering the ring.


Funeral and burial

After Camacho's death, his mother, María Matías, expressed the wish for her son to be buried in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
, where he had grown up and started his fighting career. Camacho's son Héctor Camacho Jr. thought he should be buried in Puerto Rico, but agreed to his grandmother's and aunts' wishes. Before being taken to the mainland United States, Camacho's body lay in state at the
Puerto Rico Department of Sports and Recreation The Puerto Rico Department of Sports and Recreation is the executive department of the government of Puerto Rico responsible of sports and recreation in the U.S. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The department's headquarters complex is located in ...
in Santurce. During the two days Camacho's body was on viewing, hundreds of people visited the facilities to pay tribute to the fighter. Dozens of retired and active boxers from Puerto Rico and abroad were among those who participated in the funeral services. Among them were Félix "Tito" Trinidad,
Wilfred Benítez Wilfred "Wilfredo" Benítez (born September 12, 1958) is an American-born Puerto Rican former professional boxer and the youngest world champion in the sport's history. Earning his first of three career world titles in separate weight division ...
,
Wilfredo Gómez Wilfredo Gómez RiveraJohn John Molina Juan Molina (born March 17, 1965), better known as John John Molina in the world of boxing, is a former boxer whose career transcended boxing in Puerto Rico. A multiple time world champion, this boxer was also known as quite a socialite. Molina ...
,
Samuel Serrano Samuel Serrano (born November 17, 1952) is a Puerto Rican former professional boxer who competed from 1969 to 1984 and made a two-fight comeback from 1996 to 1997. He was a two-time super featherweight world champion, having held the WBA title ...
, Román "Rocky" Martínez, Juan Manuel López,
Nelson Dieppa Nelson Dieppa-Gerena (born February 25, 1971) is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. As an amateur, he represented Puerto Rico in international events including the 1991 World Amateur Boxing Championships, 1991 Pan American Games and the 1992 S ...
, Alex "El Nene" Sánchez,
Julian Solís Julian Solís (born 7 January 1957) is a former boxer from Puerto Rico. He was born in the San Juan area of Río Piedras, but because of the closeness of his birthplace to Caguas, he often trained at the Bairoa Gym in Caguas. His training base, h ...
,
Manny Siaca Manuel Alejandro Siaca (born November 21, 1975) is a Puerto Rican boxer at super middleweight. Siaca was born in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, the son of Manny Siaca Sr., who was a noted boxing trainer and trained the likes of Edwin Rosario and Wilfredo ...
, and the brothers McWilliams and
McJoe Arroyo McJoe Arroyo Acevedo (born December 5, 1985) is a Puerto Rican professional boxer who held the IBF junior bantamweight title from 2015 to 2016. As an amateur, he represented Puerto Rico in international competition, winning a bronze medal at ...
. Trinidad was outspoken in praise for his former rival, saying Camacho "put Puerto Rico's flag up high, with a lot of pride like many other champions have done. He was very loved. You can see how everybody has suffered the loss of this great human being, a great champion." Trinidad regretted the circumstances of the fatal shooting. Camacho's body was flown to New York City on November 29 and presented at Elcock Funeral Home in
Queens Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...
. On Friday, his body was taken to Saint Cecilia's Church in Manhattan for a religious service. Camacho was buried on December 1 in Saint Raymond's Cemetery in
the Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...
. Before the burial, a parade was held in Camacho's honor in East Harlem. Two white horses pulled a hearse carriage up First Avenue surrounded by fans, friends and family of the late boxer. Camacho's casket was draped in a Puerto Rican flag. After a visitation and mass at St. Cecilia's Church on East 106th Street on November 30 and December 1, Camacho was buried on the afternoon of December 1, 2012, in
Saint Raymond's Cemetery, Bronx Saint Raymond's Cemetery is a Roman Catholic cemetery at 2600 Lafayette Avenue in the Throggs Neck and Schuylerville sections of the Bronx, New York City, United States. The cemetery is composed of two separate locations: the older section (main e ...
in the Throggs Neck section of the Bronx.


Aftermath and investigation

Almost ten years later, on March 9, 2022, the Department of Justice of Puerto Rico arrested five suspects. William Rodríguez Rodríguez, Luis Ayala García, and Joshua Méndez Romero were serving federal sentences for unrelated crimes, and were flown in from Florida as part of what police called "Operation Knockout." The fourth suspect, Jesús Naranjo Adorno, was arrested in morning hours in the same city where Camacho was killed, and the fifth suspect, Juan Luis Figueroa Rivera, remains in prison in Puerto Rico for an unrelated case. Authorities also stated that two other suspects were killed in 2013 and 2015, in unrelated events.


Legacy and honors

Several sports journalists, analysts, and experts from Puerto Rico and United States have praised Camacho's skills and influence in the boxing world. The journalist Rafael Bracero and Francisco Valcárcel, president of the
World Boxing Organization The World Boxing Organization (WBO) is an organization which sanctions professional boxing bouts. It is recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) as one of the four major world championship groups, alongside the World Boxing ...
, agreed that Camacho was among the "Top 5 Puerto Rican boxers" of all time, along with Félix "Tito" Trinidad,
Wilfredo Gómez Wilfredo Gómez RiveraWilfred Benítez Wilfred "Wilfredo" Benítez (born September 12, 1958) is an American-born Puerto Rican former professional boxer and the youngest world champion in the sport's history. Earning his first of three career world titles in separate weight division ...
. The boxing historian,
Mario Rivera Martinó Mario Rivera Martinó (April 20, 1924 – September 13, 2017) was a journalist, sports writer and President of the Puerto Rico Boxing Commission. In 2006, he was inducted into the Puerto Rican Sports Hall of Fame. In December 2018, the Internat ...
, praised Camacho, calling him a "complete fighter" in the Lightweight division.
José Sulaimán José Sulaimán Chagnón (May 30, 1931 – January 16, 2014) was a Mexican boxing official. He was the president of the World Boxing Council. Biography Sulaimán's father was of Lebanese descent and his mother of Syrian descent and he was bor ...
stated that he "revolutionized boxing during his time". Ed Brophy, director of the
International Boxing Hall of Fame The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF), located in Canastota, New York, honors boxers, trainers and other contributors to the sport worldwide. Inductees are selected by members of the Boxing Writers Association of America. The I ...
, noted Camacho's talents in attracting an audience. He said, "Camacho brought a lot of excitement to boxing. He was bright, colorful, and always gave something to talk about with his walks to the ring, with his unique style of entering, and the costumes he wore." Brophy also praised Camacho's boxing skills, describing him as "an exciting fighter, and one of the greats. He faced the best, going up and down several divisions." Alfredo R. Martínez, senior editor of
ESPN Deportes ESPN Deportes (, ''ESPN Sports'') is an American multinational Spanish-language pay television sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company (which owns a controlling 80% stake) and Hearst Communications ...
, also noted Camacho's flamboyant approach, saying that "if he wasn't the first, he was one of the firsts that entered the ring with extravagant costumes, feather crests, bright clothes, everything to the rhythm of some pop song". Hiram Martínez, senior editor of ESPN Deportes, said about Camacho's training:
he transforms into a hungry, focused, and dedicated boxer, that works hours and hours polishing his speed, his wit, and the style that turned him into one of the greats of all time. That's the only way you can explain why all those great hitters he faced during the best moments of his career never knocked him down.
Jaime Vega-Curry (deputy editor of ESPN Deportes), said Camacho was "a character that combined a contagious charisma, impressive boxing quality, a child's soul, a salesman's shrewdness, and a superlative confidence on himself and in the force of his 'Macho Time'" Brophy noted Camacho would be eligible for the
International Boxing Hall of Fame The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF), located in Canastota, New York, honors boxers, trainers and other contributors to the sport worldwide. Inductees are selected by members of the Boxing Writers Association of America. The I ...
in December 2015. He added that "Camacho is part of boxing history, and that's what the International Boxing Hall of Fame is about." Camacho, along with
Lupe Pintor José Guadalupe Pintor Guzmán (born 13 April 1955), better known as Lupe Pintor, is a Mexican former professional boxer who competed from 1974 to 1995. He won the WBC bantamweight title in 1979 after defeating Carlos Zárate Serna, and made ...
and Hilario Zapata, among others, was voted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in December 2015 and was inducted in June 2016. Noted boxing biographer
Christian Giudice Christian Giudice (born June 5, 1974) is an American boxing writer and editor who has published boxing biographies. The biopic film ''Hands of Stone'' was based on Giudice's book with the same title. Raised in Haddonfield, New Jersey, Giudice atte ...
wrote a book about Camacho's life titled ''Macho Time: The Meteoric Rise and Tragic Fall of Hector Camacho'', which was released on October 20, 2020 by
Hamilcar Publications Hamilcar Publications is a Boston-based book publisher and a division of Hannibal Boxing Media LLC. Founded in 2018 by Kyle Sarofeen and Andy Komack, Hamilcar's titles focus on professional boxing, true crime, and hip-hop. Hamilcar Publications i ...
. Hector's fiancée, Shelly Salemassi, published a book of their real life story called The Lady and the Ten Time World Champ, Going The Distance With Hector Macho Camacho, which was released on December 1, 2021 by Page Publishing.


Marriage and family

Camacho had four sons, his oldest from an early relationship and three from his marriage. His eldest son, Héctor Camacho Jr., Héctor "Machito" Camacho Jr. (born 1978 in New York, when Camacho was 16), also became a professional boxer and has won a championship. Camacho married Amy Torres in 1991, and they had three sons: Justin (born December 1, 1989), Christian (born 1992), and Tyler Camacho (born 1998). (The ''New York Times'' reports the youngest son's name as "Taylor".) In 1998 she obtained a restraining order against Camacho, alleging he had threatened her and one of their sons."Ex-boxer 'Macho' Camacho dies four days after shooting"
AP, ''Cleveland.com'', November 24, 2012, accessed November 29, 2012
They divorced in 2001. In March 2011, his ex-wife Amy Camacho and at least one son were living in Orange County, Florida when an argument between the boxer and his ex-wife caused neighbors to become alarmed and call police. His youngest son, Tyler, is also a boxer, as was his brother, Felix Camacho (boxer), Felix Camacho. Together for 15 years, Hector was engaged to Shelly Salemassi. In 2003, The Press and Guide of Dearborn, Michigan printed an engagement notice between Camacho and Shelly Salemassi, along with a photograph of the couple."Engagements", ''Press & Guide'', Dearborn, Michigan, 16 January 2003, p 4-B Although they never married, the ''New York Post'' reported she was the only one of his former significant others to fly to Camacho's New York funeral.


Popular influence

During the peak of his career, Camacho became an icon in popular culture. He first appeared on Telemundo's ''Super Sábados'', where he joined a musical sketch, "Macho Time", named after his catchphrase. During the 1990s, Camacho appeared in episodes of ''El Show del Mediodía'', performing staged fights with Melwin Cedeño's character, Chevy, el Ponzoñú. In 1992, Camacho invited Cedeño to sing a version with him of ''La Borinqueña'' before a fight, together with Pedro Guzmán, a fellow comedian/musician. The trio's publicity stunt drew strong criticism at the time. Camacho also appeared in the sitcom, ''The Wayans Bros.,'' portraying Manuel "Hot Pepper" López. He staged a fight against the main character, Marlon "Suckerpunch" Williams (Marlon Wayans). Due to his prominence, Camacho became the subject of cultural references in television, music and literature. Harry Mullan devoted a chapter to him, titled "It's Macho Time," in his ''The Book of Boxing Quotations'' (1988). In a 2003 episode of ''King of the Hill,'' titled "Boxing Luanne", the titular character Hank Hill remarks "Oh, I get it. A little flash… Like Héctor "Macho" Camacho". after placing tassels in the boxing outfit of Luanne Platter. Rapper Lil Wayne referred to Camacho and the professional wrestler "Macho Man" Randy Savage in his 2008 single, "Mr. Carter". Following retirement, Camacho expanded his role as a television personality. In 2010, he took part in ''¡Mira quién baila (American TV series), Mira Quien Baila!'', a reality show that is the American/Spanish-Speaking version of ''Dancing with the Stars (American TV series), Dancing with the Stars''. He was the first to be eliminated from the competition. Camacho later joined the Univision entertainment news program '' El Gordo y La Flaca'' as a ''Mira Quien Baila'' critic and entertainment world newscaster. In March 2012, Camacho starred on a dating game show titled ''It's Macho Time,'' where women competed to be his "girlfriend". Currently a written biography is being assembled by Emil "Rocco" Filerino, a lifelong friend and personal manager. Another biography, "Macho Time: The Meteoric Rise and Tragic Fall of Hector Camacho", by writer
Christian Giudice Christian Giudice (born June 5, 1974) is an American boxing writer and editor who has published boxing biographies. The biopic film ''Hands of Stone'' was based on Giudice's book with the same title. Raised in Haddonfield, New Jersey, Giudice atte ...
, was published on October 20, 2020. In addition to those books, his son Hector Camacho, Jr. wrote a collaboration with author Dustin Warburton and illustrator Dan Monroe, a comic book named "Macho Dad" in which Camacho is portrayed as a son-carrying, Puerto Rican flag-wearing superhero. Macho Dad was released on September 1, 2014. Hector's fiancée, Shelly Salemassi, published a book of their real life story called "The Lady and the Ten Time World Champ, Going The Distance With Hector Macho Camacho", which was released on December 1, 2021 by Page Publishing ().


Professional boxing record


Pay-per-view bouts


See also

*List of Puerto Ricans *List of boxing triple champions *List of Puerto Rican boxing world champions *Notable boxing families * Sports in Puerto Rico


References


External links

*
Héctor Camacho Amateur Record
at the BoxingRecords. Last updated March 1, 2006. * *
The Unsolved Murder of Hector Camacho
{{DEFAULTSORT:Camacho, Hector 1962 births 2012 deaths American people convicted of burglary Converts to Christianity Deaths by firearm in Puerto Rico Male murder victims International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees Sportspeople from Bayamón, Puerto Rico People from East Harlem People murdered in Puerto Rico Puerto Rican Christians Southpaw boxers World Boxing Council champions World Boxing Organization champions Puerto Rican murder victims Puerto Rican male boxers Welterweight boxers Light-middleweight boxers Middleweight boxers World super-featherweight boxing champions World lightweight boxing champions World light-welterweight boxing champions Super-middleweight boxers Burials at Saint Raymond's Cemetery (Bronx) 2012 murders in Puerto Rico People from Bayamón, Puerto Rico