The Lack Of Respect For Hector Camacho!

[tyger]

He was put down against DeLa Hoya and Trinidad and I think Chavez. Never stopped but down a few times. I never seen much of him before when he was a lightweight might have been down then. I heard he was good as a lightweight.

[gibo]

Camacho is a HOF'er, for sure!!!! Hate him disrespect him, all you want. But the man can fight.

[mickey malone]

He was put down against DeLa Hoya and Trinidad and I think Chavez. Never stopped but down a few times. I never seen much of him before when he was a lightweight might have been down then. I heard he was good as a lightweight.

Just saw your post about when it reminded me of something..
He was indeed a very ****-hot lightweight, and if my memory serves me correctly, after beating Mancini for the title, he grabbed the mic and said, "Now bring on all the ni*gers!"..
Don't know whether anyone can back me up on this, cos it was a long time ago, but i'm sure it happened and i'm sure he was justly punished for it too..
I believe this does give some insight as to why some people dis him..

[1SILVA]

Just saw your post about when it reminded me of something..
He was indeed a very ****-hot lightweight, and if my memory serves me correctly, after beating Mancini for the title, he grabbed the mic and said, "Now bring on all the ni*gers!"..
Don't know whether anyone can back me up on this, cos it was a long time ago, but i'm sure it happened and i'm sure he was justly punished for it too..
I believe this does give some insight as to why some people dis him..

I believe he said thsi after beating Reyes Cruz a year before. Nonetheless, his performance in both fights were much more offensive. As a fellow Puerto rican and Harlemite, I was a huge fan of Camacho up until the late 90's. After beating Rosario, he didn't have one single performance against a HOF type fighter(Duran and Leonard were extremely washed up. They would have ko'd him in their primes). Watch the Camacho-Mancini fight. Camacho ran for 12 rounds and did nothing.

[mickey malone]

I believe he said thsi after beating Reyes Cruz a year before. Nonetheless, his performance in both fights were much more offensive. As a fellow Puerto rican and Harlemite, I was a huge fan of Camacho up until the late 90's. After beating Rosario, he didn't have one single performance against a HOF type fighter(Duran and Leonard were extremely washed up. They would have ko'd him in their primes). Watch the Camacho-Mancini fight. Camacho ran for 12 rounds and did nothing.

Yeah, i had a feeling the old memory may have stooled on me, but i knew it was around that time 4 sure.. I'm pretty sure most of the black fighters kind'a boycoted fighting him over it; i know there was a big 'hoo ha' at the time..
Furthermore, that was in 88, and he went on to fight Mancini, Haugen etc, and i don't believe engaged another black fighter until Trinidad in 94!.. In fact, it's difficult to think of any black guys he did fight; Boza-Edwards and Brazier are the only 2 that come to mind..

[1SILVA]

Yeah, i had a feeling the old memory may have stooled on me, but i knew it was around that time 4 sure.. I'm pretty sure most of the black fighters kind'a boycoted fighting him over it; i know there was a big 'hoo ha' at the time..
Furthermore, that was in 88, and he went on to fight Mancini, Haugen etc, and i don't believe engaged another black fighter until Trinidad in 94!.. In fact, it's difficult to think of any black guys he did fight; Boza-Edwards and Brazier are the only 2 that come to mind..

Leonard in 97 after Trinidad. The Duvas and HBO was attempting to put him in the ring with Whitaker, but he lost the first fight to Haugen. After beating Haugen in the rematch, he went with Don King and a year later suffered a 12 round beating at the hands of Chavez. I don't think his use of the N word was a racial slur. Many Puerto Ricans use that word, and his mother is a very dark skinned, Black Puerto Rican.

[mickey malone]

Leonard in 97 after Trinidad. The Duvas and HBO was attempting to put him in the ring with Whitaker, but he lost the first fight to Haugen. After beating Haugen in the rematch, he went with Don King and a year later suffered a 12 round beating at the hands of Chavez. I don't think his use of the N word was a racial slur. Many Puerto Ricans use that word, and his mother is a very dark skinned, Black Puerto Rican.

It did make me wonder..
Good job he never said it in Britain, he'd never be heard of again lol..

[1SILVA]

It did make me wonder..
Good job he never said it in Britain, he'd never be heard of again lol..

One thing I have always respected the British fans is the support they show for their athletes, Black or White. Bruno, Lewis and Benn were completely embraced. If Serena Williams were British, she would have been so much love in England. Over here, she is ostracized and criticized at every opportunity. She is even booed against foreign opposition.

[mickey malone]

One thing I have always respected the British fans is the support they show for their athletes, Black or White. Bruno, Lewis and Benn were completely embraced. If Serena Williams were British, she would have been so much love in England. Over here, she is ostracized and criticized at every opportunity. She is even booed against foreign opposition.

And she's just won the Australian Open for a record 5th time!

The Brits can be just as weird though.. Bruno and Benn were accepted with open arms immediately, and believe it or not, this was more down to their vulnerability as opposed to winning ways.. Lewis didn't get fully accepted until after he retired.. I watched Rahman I at a party, and when Lewis got tagged, the whole place errupted in shrieking laughter..
Joe Calzaghe is only raved about in Wales, and another example would be Chris Eubank, who spent almost 10 years as an unbeaten SMW champ, but didn't get one scrap of adulation until he'd been beaten twice by Carl Thomson, in valid efforts to rest the CW strap.. Hamed too, was hated by the majority.. The night he got beaten by Barrera, i saw guys in bars celebrating, and kids were putting up posters of Barrera on their bedroom walls..
I think the most classic example of British 'fickleness' has to be when the up and coming Joe Bugner, beat the ageing Henry Cooper.. I'm not joking when i say, 'it simply wasn't accepted,' and Harry Gibbs, the referee who awarded the DC, (on the old British points system) almost became a national 'hate' figure over night.. Bugner couldn't go anywhere without abuse being aimed at him and was eventually hounded out of the country..
He eventually settled in Australia where he was appreciated, and went on to have a long and successful career.. Cooper on the other hand, received a knighthood!.. De****able when you think about it; a 21 year old kid gets told he's godda fight for the British title, wins it, then all that happens.. Beggars belief!

So i'm afraid we have it disproportionately, in Britain too; especially where 'winners' are concerned.. Tbh, the colour thing in boxing, is pretty ancient history in our country now, and the talent pool is evenly mixed..
I know it sounds a bit cynical, but the only 'sure' way a good boxer will get a good following in the UK, is if he also happens to be a soccer fan..

[HaglerSteelChin]

I think alot of fans go by the athlete's personality. Ricky Hatton was seen as a down to earth lad and many loved him in Manchester and surrounding areas. Lennox Lewis was born in England but spend alot of time in Canada and won a Gold Medal for Canada and not the UK; this may help explain his lukewarm reception.

The camacho thing about the N word is simple street vernacular in NYC, Camacho is far from a racist, as he was good friends with many black boxers and showed respect for SRL after beating him.

English Fighter Alan Minter said something like "no black men can take my MW title away" and after he lost to Hagler the fans threw things into the ring where hagler had to be escorted away by the police. Why would they support a blatant racist fighter? So you see both sides of the coin there.

I personally despise overt nationalism as if a fighter wins from your country brings pride to you as individuual. I never understood why Fillipinos worship pacman as a god. For example, they make excuses for the long count in the hussein fight and dont question why would a fillipino ref would be allowed to ref a fight in the phils with a pinoy fighter; that alone brings into question the impartiality of the fight. Yet; pinoys would go bonkers if PR Ref Joe Cortez would do Pac vs cotto, because they thought it would favor Cotto. Do we see the hypocrisy? I also don't know how can a man who openly cheats on his wife can say he talks to god and is blessed by him? Just like i called boricuas out for their love affair with Trinidad who i always suspected of having excessive handwrappings. BTW, that debate is kicking a dead horse on what happened in the dressing room before the Hopkins fight.

I am a boxing fan first regardless of their nationality or race. People who are a credit to the sport by being respectful to opponents and being clean inside the ring.