Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Former boxer Hector 'Macho' Camacho in critical condition after getting shot in face

Former three-division world champion boxer Hector "Macho" Camacho, the flamboyant and often troubled Puerto Rican fighter who was raised in New York City, was shot in the jaw while in a car outside a bar in Bayamon, Puerto Rico on Tuesday night.  He is listed in critical condition.

A man driving the car was also shot and killed.  Police have one suspect in custody according to reports in the local newspaper Primera Hora.  It was not clear what relationship, if any, Camacho had with the other victim and the motive was unknown.

The 50-year-old Camacho was unconscious as he was taken to the trauma center at Centro Medico in San Juan.  Hospital officials said he was in serious condition.  

According to doctors, Camacho was struck once in the left jaw and the bullet travelled down his neck and lodged in his right shoulder.  Along the way the bullet fractured his 5th and 6th cervical vertebrae and Camacho lost so much blood that he needed a transfusion.  There was no mention of paralysis and doctors could not determine if he had been struck by any other bullets.



Camacho won super lightweight, lightweight and junior middleweight world titles in the 1980's and gained notoriety for entering the ring in outlandish gladiator outfits.   He also made headlines for a series of run-ins with the law.

The hard partying fighter's most memorable bouts were a split decision loss to Julio Cesar Chavez in 1992 — when both fighters were undefeated — and his fifth-round knockout of a fading Sugar Ray Leonard in 1997 — which was to be Camacho's last real hurrah in the ring.

Camacho's son, Hector Jr., followed his dad into boxing and went on to have a respectable career but without any of his father's acclaim.

The older Camacho, a three-time Golden Gloves winner,  ended his career with a record of 79-5-3 and Macho attempted a comeback as recently as 2009.

UPDATE: Camacho declared clinically 'brain dead'


Doctors say boxer Hector `Macho' Camacho is clinically ''brain dead'' after being shot in the face.

Dr. Ernesto Torres said at a news conference Thursday that doctors are still performing tests on Camacho before meeting with his family, according to The New York Daily News.

Torres had said late Wednesday that Camacho was showing irregular and intermittent brain activity.

The 50-year-old Camacho was shot as he and a friend sat in a Ford Mustang parked outside a bar Tuesday night. Police spokesman Alex Diaz has said officers found nine small bags of cocaine in the friend's pocket, and a 10th bag open inside the car.



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