‘LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON’ DOESN’T FIT CAMACHO’SON

Hector Camacho, Jr., cherished his father before and after the latter became a two-time world champion in the mid-80s, but the “Like father, like son” axiom is no longer applicable as Hector Luis Camacho’s 25-year-old son returns to action after a nine months layoff.

Genetically, there is little to separate the fighting Camachos, both are 5’ 7” with a southpaw stance and the kind of speed Smarty Jones would liked to have had for his work. The family charisma was obviously inherited but when it comes to power punching, dad always viewed junior as the superior force.

This is not a comeback for the slick boxer-puncher, who has been living in Orlando, Fla, he was just taking a break in analyzing the route he will take to win a world title in the junior middleweight division.

Camacho’s promotional future is now in the hands of Lou DiBella Entertainment in New York, and Mike Acri, who promoted his father fighting for America Presents of Denver in1993-98.

DiBella, formerly HBO’s top fight-maker, and Acri are on the same page that Camacho “is a hungry fighter who could earn a world title shot at 154 or 147 within a year.”

Like his flamboyant father, Hector loves to appear on TV but his next outing Aug.28 will be without the tube in a 10-rounder at Grand Casino Coushatta Pavilion in Kinder, La., 55 miles south of Alexandria.

“Hector needs the work and this is the kind of fight he will get it. The opponent is a hard-nosed guy named Marteze Logan with a 14-8, 3 KOs record and a reputation down south as a hustling fighter from Covington, Tenn., who doesn’t back up, “ DiBella advised.

“Hector needed a little time off to look at himself and realize what he had to do to achieve his high point in boxing by extending his large potential to the limit That’s something he didn’t do before and Hector knows it. We ended the layoff Mar.20 in Oakland, CA., against a veteran named Michael Davis and it was over in two rounds. Hector was emphatic about tougher people and that’s what he is going to get.”

After a huddle with DiBella in Pittsburgh where he has trained with Benjamin Conception, Camacho let the fight world know he is a rededicated fighter with new maturity for his quest.

“I’m still young at 25 and I know now I didn’t give everything I’ve got in the ring and it hurt a lot of people. I want the public and media to know I am dead serious about my approach to the game. I had a little foot injury but that has cleared up. I know I have the ability and I resent not giving
all of myself. In my future fights, I want the public to see a redicated Hector for all the right reasons. I want to be a world champion fighting for the big purses out there.”

Camacho, born in San Juan, P.R., learned how fickle fight fans can be in his most controversial fight with former WBC champion Jesse James Leija of Ft.Worth, Tx., July 7, 2001 in Key Span Park in Brooklyn, N.Y.

It was good action from the opening bell, both fighters landing hard combinations to the head and body. However, Camacho suffered a cut over his right eye from an accidental head butt in the fifth round and referee Steve Smoger stopped the bout when Camacho was reportedly not able to see. The New York State Athletic Commission originally ruled a technical decision for Camacho.

There was a turnaround on July 27 when the N.Y. commission received a protest by the Leija management and changed the result to No Contest. The ruling was the bell to start the sixth round had not officially been rung, therefore the fight did not go the required distance for the commission to render a technical decision.

DiBella admitted Camacho was “hurt by some of the fans’ reaction, and the way some media was overly negative in reporting the incident.”

“Hector isn’t going to dwell on that, it’s behind him because all the good things are in front of him. He is eager for a big fight. There’s Arturo Gatti, Vivian Harris, and Ricky Hatton just to mention a few. If there is a choice right now, it would be Gatti. The kid loves and admires his father very much but he knows he can’t learn by his father’s mistakes despite a Hall of Fame ring career.

In a reflective mood, Camacho recalled that his father’s first pro bout was Sept.12,1980 in New York’s Felt Forum where he won a four-round decision over David Brown and the eccentric merry-go-round continued until July 7,2004 when the senior Camacho won a 10-roiund decision over Clint McNeil in Biloxi, Miss.

In between, the showboating speed merchant fashioned a resume of 78-5-2, 38 KOs, plus winning the WBC junior lightweight crown twice.

It wasn’t for a world title but son Hector keenly remembers June 22, 2000 as a special night when he faced Manard Reed of Steubenville, Oh, at the Regent Las Vegas.
Camacho was the WBA/ North American super lightweight ruler in this 12-rounder televised by Fox Sports Network. It was also Father’s Day which junior dedicated to dad, who was working his corner.

Though taking his time, Camacho made it a short night, scoring a fourth round TKO when he decked Reed twice with a picture-book left hook. Referee Kenny Bayless called it off at 1:44 as Hector, 21, moved his log to 28-0,17 KOs.

“I was pleased because my father was with me and this was my seventh kayo in eight fights, but ordinarily I don’t look for knockouts right off the bat. I’m a stylist, so I take my time and let the other guy make mistakes. I also have a big right hand and sooner or later I am going to let it go. I could see the guy was confused by my style, so I decided to end it early,” the winner recalled.

Camacho was the WBA No.1 contender for Sharmba Mitchell’s title but everything has been shuffled in four years. However, he has improved his credentials to
37-1, 21KOs and should be a factor again. That lone loss was a controversial squeaker to Argentine’s Omar Weis Mar 3,2002 in Phoenix, Arz., on scores of 96-94, 95-94, 96-93 despite Weis being penalized one point for a low blow in the eighth round of a scheduled 10-rounder.

Hector was in a reminiscing mode the other day in recanting the highs and lows with a father he idolizes.

“Being the son of Hector Camacho isn’t easy even if you aren’t in boxing. There is a lot of pressure out there from all walks of life. My dad faced many world champions all in their prime and some of the best going the distance with Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad and Julio Cesar Chavez.

Despite his father’s dramatics in and out of the ring, here’s a son that wants to establish his own recognition whatever his endeavor.

“If I do not become a better fighter than my father was, then I will just be known as the son of “Macho” Camacho. I want to be remembered for being me. I want to make a name for myself. I know it’s going to be very tough. What my father has done is tremendous. His accomplishments are out of my league right now. Exceeding those marks is not something I want to do. It’s something I have to do. This is my goal. It’s what drives me.”

Camacho lived in New York, with sometime visits
to Bayamon, P.R., until he was 12 when the family moved to Orlando.

“There was never a time when my father pushed me into boxing even though I put on my first gloves when I was 8. By the time I was 12, I was really hooked on the sport. I had a 58-2 record before I turned pro,” said this world champion waiting to happen.

“I wound up winning a world junior championship.and a U.S national title as a junior welterweight. I lost my chance to make the Atlantic Olympics when i lost to Zab Judah in the opening round of the Trials. I was already fighting like a pro, so I went in that direction and I don’t have a moment for regret.”

(Jack Welsh is a syndicated columnist headquartered in Las Vegas and also a regular contributor to Ringsports.Com and other sports publications.)