There are valuable lessons that can be learned from the fate that befell former world boxing champion Hector “Macho” Camacho. The Puerto Rican was a supernova fistic star back in the

1980s, until his troubled past caught up with him and threw him into a black hole.

On November 20, a 50-year-old Camacho was shot on the face by a still unknown assailant while sitting in a car parked outside a bar in his native Bayamón, Puerto Rico. Camacho succumbed to the gunshot wound four days later. Considering that the place where he was shot is notoriously known for drugs and thugs, and taking into account further the life Camacho had lived until that fateful day, it is not entirely erroneous to conclude that the violent death of the boxer was an accident waiting to happen.

Camacho was just three years old when his mother Maria left his father and moved Hector and his older sister Raquel to Spanish Harlem in New York City. A young Camacho grew up in several housing projects idolizing martial arts icon Bruce Lee. Camacho was nine years old and a full-blown bully in his neighborhood when he figured in his first street fight. Unfortunately for Camacho, he picked on the wrong kid as it was he who went home battered and in tears.

Upon being informed of the incident, Maria directed his son to go back to the scene of the “crime” and stand up for himself. Following her mother’s instruction, Camacho challenged the boy to a return match and beat him up. And just like that, Camacho was introduced to the world of fighting.

By the time he was 15 years old, Camacho had been expelled from six schools for fighting. As if things cannot get any worse, Camacho joined a street gang known as the Spanish Kings and totally embraced his dark side. By the time he was 17 years old, Camacho had graduated from stealing toys in department stores (G.I. Joe action figures were his favorite) to stealing cars. Once, in a botched car theft attempt, Camacho engaged policemen in a wild chase that ended with the teenager behind bars. Camacho was still on probation when he figured in another carjacking incident where the driver was also stabbed.

It was not until he landed in jail again and placed in solitary confinement that Camacho finally decided to put some order in his life. Already a father at 17, Camacho resolved to seriously train as a boxer to provide his son a better life.

After a splendid amateur career, one that saw him win the New York Golden Gloves championship, Camacho entered pro boxing in 1980 with a decision win over David Brown.

Calling himself the “Macho Man,” Camacho thrilled the world of boxing with his unique combination of skills and charisma. He showed up in the ring garbed in outrageous outfits, with the Roman gladiator costume his personal favorite. But there was substance underneath the flashy outfits, as Camacho won world titles in the super featherweight (1983), lightweight (1985), and super lightweight (1989) divisions. Camacho’s greatest performance came in August 1985, when he conducted a boxing clinic on feared Mexican puncher Jose Luis Ramirez to win the World Boxing Council lightweight title by decision. Camacho was not only fast with his mouth, but with his fists, too.

By the time he lost his last fight to Saul Duran in May 2010, Camacho had amassed a record of 79-6 with 38 knockouts. He rubbed mitts with the likes of Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., Oscar De la Hoya, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Felix Trinidad and was never knocked out in his entire career.

Sadly for Camacho, he went back to his old ways after boxing. In 2005, he was busted by authorities for unlawfully barging into an electronic goods store. A body search on Camacho also found him in possession of the drug ecstasy. Early this year, Camacho was accused of beating up his son. He was scheduled to face trial at the time of his demise.

A year before his death, Camacho was shot three times by two men who tried to take away his 2005 BMW. Camacho did not file any report, believing that he would not have been attacked if the two men realized who he was. “Everybody loves me,” said Camacho.

Apparently, such was not the case when Camacho was recently gunned down.

* * *

For comments, the writer can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .