Hector 'Macho' Camacho's mother makes decision to take brain dead boxer off life support

Hector "Macho" Camacho will be taken off life support Saturday, his mother indicated Friday night.  The former world champion boxer, who was shot in the face last week, was pronounced clinically brain dead and is expected to be taken off the artificial respirator that keeps him alive — a decision opposed by his eldest son, Hector Camacho Jr..

The fighter's mother, Maria Matias, told the media waiting outside the San Juan, Puerto Rico hospital where the 50-year-old Camacho lay unconscious since being shot that she had decided doctors should remove life support, but only after three of his sons arrived in Puerto Rico early Saturday morning and had  a chance to see him one last time, according to The Associated Press.

"I lost my son three days ago.  He's alive only because of a machine," Matias said.  "My son is not alive.  My son is only alive for the people who love him," she added.

The three other sons were expected to arrive from the U.S. mainland around midnight Friday.

"Until they arrive, we will not disconnect the machine," Matias said. 

Another news conference was scheduled for Saturday morning at Centro Medico, the main trauma center for San Juan, when the family is expected to announce the final decision.

Camacho was shot as he sat in a car outside a bar with a friend, Adrian Mojica, who was killed in the shooting.  Police found nine small bags of cocaine in Mojica's pocket and an open bag in the car.  There have been no arrests.

The flamboyant former boxer held world titles in the super lightweight, light weight and junior welterweight divisions and ended his career with a record of 79-6-3.  Camacho's most memorable fights included high profile bouts against Felix Trinidad, Julio Cesar Chavez and a fifth-round knockout of Sugar Ray Leonard in 1997.

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.