Camacho Sr. (& Jr.)

[Norm]

I'm wondering what consensus might be... whether Hector Camacho Sr. either maximized his skills and career, or did he squander them with excessive life? And is Jr. in the same career dynamics either way?

[Ambling Alp]

I think Camacho Sr had an outstanding career, but it could have been better. Early on, he showed a lot of talent, both offensively and defensively. Then he stopped using his offensive talent. He eventually became just a runner. He actually went from an exciting fighter to a very boring fighter.

His son had some talent, but not as much as his dad. It seemed that he too could have been better; though I have to say didn't follow his career as closely.

[Norm]

...Then he stopped using his offensive talent. He eventually became just a runner. He actually went from an exciting fighter to a very boring fighter. ...

That's my recollection as well. I'm thinking the bout against Edwin Rosario is when his style changed to defense first. Good career that could have been more.

[Bricks]

not too much more to say about camacho snr. All that talent and speed early on. he wasted potentially the best years of his career (after the rosario fight) during late 86-1990 with his inactivity and troubles. I dont reprimand him for talking high profile lower risk fights like with a rusty Mancini, but he eventually got exposed against Chavez. Wheras if he had remained sharp and learned dedication and stayed away from drugs he could well have beaten JCC snr during 87-90. The way he threw the fight away against Haughan said it all.

Ironic during his mid to late 30s he suddenly got dedicated.You still cant keep his old arse out of the ring at nearly 50. LEGEND tho

[Jaclem]

....camacho felt that one bomb from rosario so much it changed his style for the rest of his career. still he was fun to watch most of the time even afterwards. plus, he showed a lot of fortitude when he took his beating from chavez.

his antics before and after his fights were fun to watch, too. colorful and talented...and at the latter stages of his career his smarts won him fights against younger and less experienced fighters.

[Goodnight, Irene]

....camacho felt that one bomb from rosario so much it changed his style for the rest of his career. still he was fun to watch most of the time even afterwards. plus, he showed a lot of fortitude when he took his beating from chavez.

his antics before and after his fights were fun to watch, too. colorful and talented...and at the latter stages of his career his smarts won him fights against younger and less experienced fighters.

He also managed to survive the distance with peak Welters De La Hoya and Trinidad --- however uncompetitive, thats something very, very few washed-up 130 or 135 lb naturals could ever have managed.

Oddly enough, I was just reading the latter stages of The Last Great Fight (Tyson-Douglas), and Camacho's name comes up as someone Douglas briefly shared a training camp with.

A damn good boxer at JLW and LW, but Rosario took his heart...and people hated him for it.

[Counter-puncher]

He also managed to survive the distance with peak Welters De La Hoya and Trinidad --- however uncompetitive, thats something very, very few washed-up 130 or 135 lb naturals could ever have managed.


A damn good boxer at JLW and LW, but Rosario took his heart...and people hated him for it.

true, and true.

rewatching the Rosario fight, I don't think people give Camacho quite enough credit for surviving, and for exactly the level of beating he took that night.

people talk like he took one big punch and shut up shop- he took a perfect left hook early in the 5th and got the daylights beat out of him, head and body, for the remaining circa 2 minutes of the round. Rosario chased him round the ring and flat-out massacred him.

then in round 11 the same happens, think it was a right hand that time, had him badly wobbled, same result, Rosario running him round the ring like a horror-movie demon for about 90 seconds.

both those rounds were as clear 10-8 without knockdown rounds as you can see, I think. anyways the impression i get from reading some folks is that one good punch put him in his shell, when that was far from the case

[Jaclem]

...counter puncher......okay, maybe an over simplification ...but i saw the fight live and haven't seen it since....and i do remember a right hand bomb that shook camacho and i still say he was never the same after that fight, if not just after that one punch.