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Macho: The Hector Camacho Story; The Puerto Rican Boxer Who Lived Life Fast and Boxed Faster

The never before seen story of professional boxer Hector Camacho is revealed to the world.

Image Credit: The World of Boxing!/YouTube

The Showtime documentary “Macho: The Hector Camacho Story” debuted this Friday. It gave fans an inner look into the achievements of the Puerto Rican boxer who used his talent to escape East Harlem and defied the odds. The unearthly creature who broke numerous records and once crossed the U.S. – Mexico border with a kilo of cocaine stashed in his car. Hector Camacho wasn’t like other professional athletes who rose to soaring heights only to come crumbling back down under the weight of fame, substance or alcohol abuse. The flamboyant styles, and exuberance of Hector Camacho, nicknamed “The Man” in the ring, secured him as an icon and a living legend.

Until his life cane to an untimely end.

Beginning his career in 1980 before Mike Tyson had even entered the scene, at 118 pounds, he was off to an incredible start at 96-4 in the amateur ranks. With a Golden Gloves championship under his belt, boxing became a great way for Camacho to stay out of jail. A World Champion title was a when, rather than an if. His unmatchable speed and lightning-quick jab finesse solidified him as an intimidating opponent.

Unfortunately, news broke on February 12, 1983 that Camacho had nearly flung himself out of his hotel window in a drug-induced state. He would go on to secure a first-round knockout against Montes the next day without any mention of the incident, and he would secure a World Title that year. He would become one of the best fighters in boxing by 1986, but his battle with drugs would become a lifelong struggle.

Watch below to see some highlights in his boxing career!

https://youtu.be/zm-FEjjZzVg

“Macho” would be featured in every major publication throughout the 80’s, and he would meet president Ronald Reagan!

Filmmaker Eric Drath had this to say about Hector Camacho:

“[He] had this authenticity. He was different, and he just didn’t care. Who he was inside of the ring was who he was outside of the ring. That charm and charisma helped him in the beginning as people perhaps enabled him a little more than they might have another person who committed the crimes he did. But his talent saved his butt, too. He had that wonderful combination of talent and charisma and showmanship [which] made him just a remarkable fighter and a remarkable story.”

Despite his rising fame, wealth, natural talent, and loving family surrounding him, his downfall was cocaine. He would use it during training and before fights, which could have highly contributed to his charismatic persona, and he would go through massive binge sessions if he didn’t use before a fight. After his prime, he rejected a fight against Roy Jones Jr. (a match that would earn him nearly 7 million dollars), instead opting to use instead of getting back in shape. 

“I’m a champion, but a junkie first.” 

November 20, 2012, Camacho was found murdered in a parked car in Bayamon, P.R. The three-division world champion was found shot in the back of the head at the age of 50, with several bags of cocaine found in the vehicle.

The murder mystery is still unsolved to this day, but it’s a heavy weight to know that a powerful force such as Hector Camacho left the world battling equally formidable demons. 

Here is to his family, his accomplishments and his legacy.  

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