By Fantana: Usually at 3 o’clock on a Monday afternoon I ring my mum up to see if she will feed me if I go to her house. Today however I made an international call to Hector Camacho Jr who lives all the way across the pond in New York City, a place that never sleeps and is widely regarded as resembling an apple from outer space. It was just over a week ago since Hector last fought, losing in one round to Canadian prospect David Lemieux. Over the years Hector Jr has fought extensively with 52 wins, just four losses, 1 draw and the NC which came in some controversial circumstances against Jessie James Leija. I had many questions to ask him but seeing as it was an international phone call and was costing my wife seventeen pence per minute I had to try and fit as much as I could into fifteen minutes. After sharing introductions here is a blow by blow account of how the conversation played out.
Q: Firstly what is a gay parade and why were you in one?
A: Excuse me?
Q: Yeah I read on the forums you participated in a gay parade…..
A: *laughs* Oh yeah, it was a trick! Basically Dan Goosen set me up as a practical joke. He told me there was something going on in the street and I should just go out there and be with the people. Boy, it opened up doors to a whole other market.
Q: Like a lot of Puerto Rican fighters, such as my all-time favourite heavyweight John Ruiz, you have a big fan base in England. Are you planning on fighting in England?
A: I am always open to fighting in England. European fighters come from a boxing school where they box properly, textbook style. Of course I would love to go out there and fight in Europe.
Q: You seem down to earth about your loss against David Lemieux, are you OK now and how do you feel?
A: It happened so fast, I am glad it ended like that and I didn’t get a beating. I didn’t get a chance to try him out and really test him. You know I still feel like I could beat him but it was over too fast. I thank Allah that it was quick and I was safe, I woke up and was like ‘Wow I got knocked out’. My corner had to tell me, I just couldn’t believe it I was in shock but I am still focused and I am positive. The fight was on a Friday, on Monday I was back into training again doing roadwork on my climb back to 147 lbs. I’m muslin, I get up early and do my prayers, I do my job properly and I eat clean.
Q: You’re talking about going back down to fight at 147lbs again. Will you finally fight Chavez jr if he beats Gomez in his next fight? How badly do you want to fight him?
A: It may be a blessing that I lost so now that more people, Chavez included, will want to fight me because of my name. I had an offer to fight in Australia in January, but we will see what happens I want big names. Chavez vs Camacho, two big names it would draw a big crowd there is so much history. There is no charisma in boxing anymore, boxing needs a Camacho vs Chavez because people will recognize it, we have a score to settle because his father beat my father.
Q: Boxing has lost some it’s prestige, do you think UFC has stolen any boxing fans?
A: Yes it has because people want to see some blood, and they want to see fighting and brutal knockouts, it gives people what they want. Boxing has lost a lot of style, no more charisma, no Tyson or ‘Macho’ Camacho types. I think guys like David Lemieux you know I think he could be a star, because of his power.
Q: So how far do you think David Lemieux can go in boxing?
A: Well he really can hit, I have to give him credit because he knocked me out. He was such a gentleman also, he was really humble. He is a good looking, light skinned fighter with power and this is perhaps what boxing needs now, he is good for Canada. I think when he fights a pure boxer or a strong middle weight or even super middleweight he might have issues, I think he might have issues with the speed. I would certainly love a rematch with him, but I am not going to shout about it because people might say I am an idiot. But I do believe David Lemieux is good for Canada.
Q: What about his fellow countryman Jean Pascal fighting Bernard Hopkins?
A: Hopkins is an amazing fighter, he has all the tricks. It should be a good fight but I think I am favouring Hopkins to take this, even though he is advanced in years.
Q: Speaking of which, you are now 32, how long left do you have in the sport of boxing?
A: I can never say that. I don’t want to retire I still have desire and hunger. I am still fresh, I didn’t catch a beating last time out it was a quick knockout and I am not a fighter who is finished. I thank Islam for my path, I can go on for another five or six years, I look after my body and I am in shape like I say on the Monday after the fight I was back doing my roadwork on the climb to 147lbs.
Q: Now you have said before you are your own worst enemy, when you were to fight Omar Weiss you came in 7lbs over the limit and went to the gym to lose some weight but came back heavier. What happened?
A: You know, I was disrespecting boxing which I have learnt you cannot do. I was disrespected by fans and I deserved it. I have learnt my lesson, I am 157 lbs right now and in the morning I go and do jogging, I have grown up a lot.
Q: What about the Jessie James Leija controversy?
A: I was too hyped for that fight, everyone was hyping me up and it got to me. It is funny how one moment I was the next big thing and the next the boxing world turned its back on me. I was the next Latino star and was being compared to my father, the comparison were great. It really upset me, the manner in which everything happened with the head-butt and because of this I lost my love for the sport.
Q: Finally, is there a message you have not just to your fans in America and but also your fans in Britain?
A: I want to come to Great Britain and show off my talent. I feel like I have cheated my fans and myself but in boxing there is no short cut. Yes I have talent and charisma and be sure that I will be back better than ever and I am focused and determined and above all else I am positive. I don’t want to leave boxing like this, not without a belt.
And that was the end of my phone conversation with Hector Camacho Jr. He may have been surrounded by controversy for a long time but he really was a gentleman when talking to me. We cannot forget that Hector Jr is the man who was basically in a gay parade in a non-gay way.
Yours in manliness,
Fantana
About the author – Fantana claims he does not even know what a gay parade is