Macho Camacho Jr. vs Julio Cesar Chavez update
At this point in their lives, the 58-year-old Chavez and the 42-year-old Camacho have their lives on hold awaiting that final call to walk out to the ring while the 15,000 plus fans at the Jalisco stadium in Guadalajara, cheer wildly. In the meantime, what is a boxing writer to do but offer additional insight into the lives of these unique individuals, add some more dated photos that you may or may not have any interest in seeing, and have you read our one on one interview with Hector “Machito” Camacho Jr. from March, 2020 just after Camacho signed to fight Chavez on Saturday, June 19, 2021 in Guadalajara.
Question #1 for Hector “Macho” Camacho Jr. from SportofBoxing.com: “What makes you think you can do what your father couldn’t against the legendary Julio Cesar Chavez?”
Hector “Macho” Camacho Jr.: “Against Chavez Senior, there’s no doubt I should be able to give a good account of myself. Right out of the box, I’m the younger fighter with the superior hand speed and of course power. And, being the son of Hector Macho Camacho, boxing and winning is in my blood. Señor Chavez is now 58-years-old, soon to be 59, a veteran of close to 25 years with 115 plus Professional fights. I’m just 42, a veteran of 67 Professional fights. Plus, I’m the one with the most incentive. He’s only in it to make money. I want so bad to do the proper payback for when he got the best of my father who was representing Puerto Rico, the Island of both my birth and my father’s, the same Puerto Rico which no doubt has had more World Champions per capita than anywhere on this Planet, far more than Mexico. In order to represent Puerto Rico, I will be in excellent shape and in the end give this Boxing Icon the proper send-off, a boxing lesson.”
2) Over your illustrious career who do you consider your toughest opponent?
HMC Jr.: “With only two weeks notice and at the time not looking for a fight or the money, I faced off with the tough Jessie James Leija. In round five, I didn’t even see where this no pain punch came from. Anyway, the fight was stopped because I was unable to see out of my eye, the cut was caused by a head-butt. The bout was initially ruled a Technical Decision Win for me. Later, on 7/26/2001, following a protest by the Leija camp, the NY State Athletic Commission changed the result to a “No Contest”. They ruled the bell to start the 6th round had not officially been rung, and since our fight had not gone the required 6 rounds, the officials could not render it a technical decision victory.”
3) Your best ever victory?
HMC Jr.: “My best ever victory? The 10 round unanimous decision win over Freddy Curiel at the Trump Marina Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City in 1998. We were the co-Main Event on the Greg Page vs. Monte Barrett heavyweight fight.”
4) Your toughest losses?
4) HMC Jr.: “My toughest losses: the Luis Grajeda (12-1-1) KO loss in the 6th round in Chihuahua. At that point in my career, I was (54-4-1 with 29 KOs) and just two fights away from that upsetting first round KO loss to David Lemieux. We were fighting for the WBC International Middleweight Title. Just prior to that fight was the Grajeda loss. He needed to win. He was four inches taller. He had really quick hands, a noticeable reach advantage, plus he was much younger than me.”
5) SportofBoxing.com: If you could switch careers with any Boxer, who would that be?
HMC Jr.: “That’s easy, my father #1, Mohammad Ali #2.”
6) If you could have had the best ever trainer in your corner, who would that have been?
“I’d have to say Buddy McGirt because he was a boxer with 73 wins and scored a ton of knockouts. Having someone in your corner who has been in there is always best. They know how to counter an opponent. Buddy fought guys like Tommy Ayers, Howard Davis, Meldrick Taylor, Pernell Whitaker. Also, I like Andre Ward’s trainer Virgil Hunter, Joe Goosen and maybe even my father. Ex-fighters always make the best coaches. I guess we could also include Freddy Roach.”
7) You often talk highly of Puerto Rico stating “that’s my Island”. How upset were you when you heard all that clap-trap from the former President, Donald Trump, about trading the territory of Puerto Rico for Greenland and then watching him toss those paper towels to the assembled people at a local Town Hall Meeting?
HMC JR.: “It is, what it is. He’s always been this look at me, narcissistic clown. A person who has no idea what it’s like being downtrodden and how dehumanizing it was for them to be there to accept the President’s charity as if it was coming out of his own pocket instead of coming from all U.S. citizens.”
8) Is it true your father was a Black Belt in Karate and at one time trained and sparred with Bruce Lee?
HMC JR.: “That’s true. He took great pride in being an all around fighter. Someone who could at a moment’s notice come to someone’s rescue.”
9) Of all the get-ups/costumes your dad wore, which one did you like the best? And which one didn’t you care for?
HMC JR.: “Least of all was that Captain America outfit that he wore for the Chavez fight. When he fought Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini he wore that Spanish Matador outfit, that was a classic.
10) If you could have gone the comedy route in the ring, which of the boxing legends would you have mimicked the most/tried to copy? Matamora Paez, Naseem Hamed or Hector “Macho Man” Camacho?
HMC Jr.: “No doubt “Macho Man.”
11) What was the motivation behind your father wearing all those outlandish outfits?
“You mean the Indian Head Dress for Vinnie Pazienza, the Marvel Super Hero for Julio Cesar Chavez, The Fireman outfit for Greg Haugen, the Roman Conqueror just before defeating Sugar Ray Leonard. As an entertainer he wanted to be eye catching, awe-inspiring, dazzling, …at times imposing.”
12) Did your Father ever consider himself in competition with Naseem Hamed who used to do all those flips over the ropes and made that entrance sitting on a Magic Carpet.
“It’s possible, but all and all my Dad was his own man. And no doubt, he, like those other gents, always wanted to take things to an even higher level.”
13) In my wife’s immediate family she has relatives with the last name of “Camacho” who reside in San Diego, San Antonio, Dallas and Laredo. Her ancestors were farmers on the outskirts of this small town in Mexico called Rio Verde. Where are the majority of your relatives now living… in Puerto Rico, Florida or New York?
HMC Jr.: “We’re like most people nowadays. We have family everywhere. In Puerto Rico, Florida, New York and even Panama where my wife is from. But mainly we call Puerto Rico home. It’s where my father and I were born. My father in Bayamon, myself in San Juan.”
14) My wife said she has often seen your Father as a guest on the “Flaca y Gordo Show” located in Miami, where he did these comical bits and made funny comments on the latest news.
HMC Jr.: “My father could go anywhere and perform. He was a showman. And as a guest celebrity he’d be in a dance competition or end up on a Talk Show often giving the host a very funny reply.”
15) If you were a big guy, a heavyweight – who would you prefer to be throughout your years as a Boxer?
HMC Jr.: “Once again I’d have to go with Mohammad Ali.”
16) Your favorite place to go on vacation?
HMC Jr.: “Panama. My wife, maiden name Raquel Welch is from there. We can climb Ancon Hill and get this amazing view of the city’s skyline, the Panama Canal, plus the Bridge of the Americas. We have two daughters Sophia and Shania and they always look forward to taking that trip.”
17) If you hadn’t gotten involved in Boxing which of the other sports or professions would you have pursued?
HMC Jr.: “I used to love playing baseball and not to brag but I considered myself a first rate shortstop.”
18) If you weren’t so conscientious about following your strict diet in the lead up to this fight with Chavez, which is the one food group or drink that you’d be indulging in? Your one weak spot? Is it Ice Cream, Candy, Cookies, which?
HMC Jr.: “Hands down, it would have to be a Coke and a Cheeza Burger from McDonalds, where as they say every patty is 100% all beef, no fillers, no additives or preservatives.”
19) Which do you consider your toughest/best ever victory?
“I was once in this real knock him down/drag’em out battle with “Yori Boy” Campas (50-3) in El Paso,Texas. In his previous fight, Campas fought my father to a split decision draw. By the end of that fight, I had been deducted a total of three points by referee Laurence Cole. Nevertheless, I still came away with the split decision victory over a boxer who had fought my father in his previous fight and secured a split decision Draw. Payback is sweet.”
20) Some boxers like to psyche their opponent out. What was the dumbest thing anyone ever said to you before a fight to try and psyche you out?
“If you dare hit me in the face, I will donkey punch you so hard, your eyeballs will come out of their sockets.” I believe I answered, “Oh okay, and then proceeded to put his lights out.”
21) That one energy bar, candy bar that you would eat just before a fight to give you some added energy?
“I don’t normally do that, but if I did, it would probably be one of those 100 Grand Milk Chocolate Carmel Crunch Bars.”
22) Funniest or dumbest thing anyone has ever said to you when asking you to take a “selfie” with them?
“Since I owe so much to my fans, there’s really nothing I would consider too imposing or something that would bother me.”
23) If you could change or add a rule of Boxing, which rule would that be?
“I’m in favor of open scoring after each round which would benefit not only the boxers but the fans.”
24) You’re a guest on American Idol, which specialty would you feature?
“Like my father, I can do it all. Dance, sing, even do some standup comedy.”
True or False? I heard that when the promoter Saul Rios of Borizteca Boxing first approached you about fighting Chavez, you volunteered to take a more novel approach to your meeting with the Chavez family. Since they had already arranged for your fight with Chavez Senior to go six rounds, you suggested, “How about if I go against the youngest, first. That would be Omar Chavez for two rounds, then Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. for the next two and then finish up with the old man. Hector Macho Camacho Jr. then cocked his head, “No disrespect intended. That way I could have improved my KO ratio…you know botta bing one, botta bing two, and finally botta bing three.”
