It’s not normally a sport girls like to watch a lot, but over the years, I’ve enjoying watching boxing from time to time and kept up with the bigger names in the sport.
That’s why last Tuesday, when I learned Hector “Macho” Camacho was shot in the head in Puerto Rico, I was saddened.
I remember watching Camacho, a Puerto Rican native, in the ring with his long, flashy trunks. His ring entrances were equally as flashy. Once, he came in dresses as a Roman warrior, including armor, once, he had a black mask on with a trunk that looked like something better suited for Tarzan.
But, the theatrics didn’t end with the outfits. Camacho was a great showman in the ring as well. His great hand and foot speed helped him win three New York Golden Gloves before turning professional in 1980.
In his thirty-year career, Camacho won the WBC Super featherweight (in 1983 by beating Rafael Limon), the WBC lightweight (in 1985 by beating Jose Luis Ramirez), and the WBO Junior welterweight (in 1989 by beating Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini and in 1991 by beating Carlos González). He was one of few boxers to win the championship in three different weight classes. He was also the first to win in seven divisions. During his career, he knocked out boxing great Sugar Ray Leonard, sending him into retirement after that match. His son, Hector “Mancito” Camacho, Jr. become a boxer as well.
But, Camacho, like many boxers, had a troubled life outside of the ring. In the ‘80s, Camacho’s former manager Billy Giles said the boxer was “drowning in drugs.” Camacho was arrested for burglary in 2005 and during that arrest, was found to be in the possession of the drug ecstasy. Last year, he was shot in San Juan, Puerto Rico during what he said was a carjacking. Earlier this year, he appeared in Florida court for allegedly physically attacking his 13-year-old son.
Despite any issues, Camacho continued boxing, winning the World Boxing Empire middleweight championship in 2008. His last fight was in 2010 and his career record was 79 victories, six losses and three draws.
Tuesday, Camacho was shot in the head while outside a bar in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. The driver of the car, reportedly a childhood friend of Camcho’s, was killed.
The doctors thought the 50-year-old Camacho might have a chance, but he suffered a heart attack Wednesday and after that, was declared brain dead. His mother made the choice to remove him from life support today and he died shortly afterwards. Ten bags of cocaine were found in the car Camacho was riding in. The men who shot him, believed to be in a gray vehicle, escaped after a shootout with police.