Last Appearance Of The “Macho Man”
CAMACHO’S LAST NOTABLE STAND
San Francisco, CA– Most of you remember the Manny Pacquiao demolition of Oscar De La Hoya in 2008. But if you’ve been around the game a while you’d realize it was like you were eerily watching a 1997 fight between Hector Camacho and “Sugar Ray” Leonard in Atlantic City, NJ.
PROMOTER MIKE ACRI HAD SUCCESSFUL RUN
Camacho’s promoter was Mike Acri, while Leonard had his own group sans financial guru and attorney Mike “Top Cat” Trainer, who hadn’t been part of Team Leonard since the second Tommy Hearns fight in ’89.
“Late” Arturo Gatti
ARTURO GATTI WAS EVERYWHERE
Although it wasn’t the “hard” partying practiced by the late Arturo Gatti, who was present for the pre-fight week festivities at various discos and clubs. Arturo was the quintessential party animal, sad that would play a role in his death. Still, I wasn’t up anytime before Noon ET (9AM my PT) prior to the day of the fight.
BOUNCED CHECK SEEN BY NEIGHBORS
Hours before the fight, I was in the Media room and trashed an ex-professional fighter turned magazine publisher after his $250 check ended up on the bulletin board of bounced checks at my corner store. It cost me $275 to buy the check back.
HUMILIATED FIGHTER IN FRONT OF PEEPS
After dissing Mr. X in front of some media members, I stepped outside into the Boardwalk Hall lobby per se. Talking to somebody, this guy’s eyes lit up and as I turned around a right hand kanded hard on my chin.
COPS HAD RINGSIDE SEAT TO SUCKER PUNCH
I shook it off and let’s just say sucker punching me was paid for in full. Telling an Atlantic City Policeman that saw everything that he wanted to press charges for damaged ribs, the cop told him only I had that option.
COP ASKED IF I WANTED ARREST MADE
Declining to do so, X was escorted out. When I think about this crap almost 20 years later, all one can say was I behaved badly by badmouthing him in front of his friends. Although a “sucker” punch is not part of my makeup, I was turning his screws verbally.
CAMACHO HEARS OF PRESS FIGHT!
The undercard was easy to forget but the main event was full of intrigue. Ray Leonard had lost to Terry Norris, a drubbing that took place a few years prior.
LEONARD HAD PEOPLE SEEING HIS GHOST
But like Ali, there was a special “aura” about Ray Leonard the fighter. His beating Marvin Hagler, although impressive, what the people backing Ray from a betting position here needed to realize Hagler was some ten years prior.
SRL HAD PROBLEMS WITH 1984 COMEBACK
And if you follow the Leonard career you’ll realize that this was 13 years after “Sugar Ray” Leonard was dropped in the first of many comebacks by an unknown by most and handpicked foe in Kevin Howard.
RAY HAD PEOPLE BELIEVING THE IMPROBABLE
To say Ray was done in 1997 would be an understatement. But like Muhammad Ali against Larry Holmes, a fight he had little if any chance of winning, Leonard even if he were healthy, gave away any opportunity of victory with his agreeing to “same day” weighing.
SAME DAY WEIGH IN OK FOR HECTOR
Drawn to the naked eye, Ray tried playing it off but it appeared that hitting 160 some 10-12 hours from a fight was an egregious error. Camacho danced in, hit the weight, dogged Leonard a bit and then went back to his hotel room. Straight and extremely focused, you knew this was Camacho’s fight to win or lose!
LEONARD HAD A FLAT TIRE!
There had been rumors of Leonard being hurt in training. But to show you how slick and deceptive Team Leonard tried to be with the media, they said Ray had stiffness in his shoulder and a sore hand. That was not truthful as the injury was to Leonard’s calf above the ankle.
RAY HIT PEAK DURING PUERTO RICAN ANTHEM
The fight started off with Camacho being assertive while Ray was surveying the landscape. As Camacho began to close the distance and push Leonard back, you could see his wincing on occasion. All the while Camacho was looked young again against the aged Leonard.
CAMACHO WAS “MACHO” WITH “SUGAR RAY”
With a sense of alarm running rampant in the Leonard corner, you could see that there was a problem from the first rest session on. The fight would go into round five with Leonard looking like a three-legged table as he could put very little weight on the right leg to support himself and kept falling down.
LEONARD LIKE ELEVATOR…UP..DOWN..UP..DOWN
Referee Joe Cortez waved it off at 1:08 of round five. As it turns out, Leonard retired this time for good and never again uttered the word “comeback.” Hector went on to face Oscar De La Hoya, a losing also 1997 effort via points and Camacho’s last big payday.
PART 5: THE PART THAT ALMOST NEVER HAPPENED
There were no big names following De La Hoya on the Camacho resume, unless you consider then 50-year old Roberto Duran in 2001. But the fight we will concentrate on Friday took place in Carolina, Puerto Rico in 1999, as I televised the card and the post fight editing.
FIGHT WEEK WAS COOL IN SAN JUAN
It was as wild a week as I’ve ever witnessed in boxing. On Monday we conclude with Part 5 that includes sex, drugs, girls, room service, it’s a look at Hector Camacho “out of control.”
CATCH PARTS 1, 2, 3, 4 BY CLICKING BELOW
READ PART 1 & 2
If you’d like to read Part 1 http://ringtalk.com/the-hector-camacho-story-part-i
Part 2 Click for Part 2 Hector Camacho Story
Click for Part 3 of Hector Camacho Story
Pedro Fernandez
Note: Mr. Fernandez is an award-winning writer, TV commentator, radio talk show host, former San Francisco Policeman and four-time Golden Gloves champion. Comments regarding this submission can be left under the advertising below.
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THE HECTOR CAMACHO STORY PART 4