Hector Camacho versus Edwin Rosario
Encyclopedia
The Héctor Camacho
versus Edwin Rosario
fight took place on June 13, 1986, at the Madison Square Garden
in New York City
.
in the United States by HBO Boxing
and in Puerto Rico
by WAPA-TV
(and to several other countries), the fight garnered wide media attention, specially in Puerto Rico: It was the fourth time that two Puerto Ricans
battled for a world boxing
title, and, at that time, it was also the world title fight that pitted the two boxers who hailed from the closest birth-places in boxing history (Camacho was born in Bayamón
, while Rosario was from Toa Alta
, a mere fifteen minute car drive away from Bayamón). Sports reporter Rafael Bracero
travelled to New York to make a documentary about the fighters and the fight, and even former BSN basketball
star Fufi Santori
, a self-declared not fan of boxing, got caught in the fight's hype, making a prediction on television on the day of the fight. He predicted Camacho would win.
The fight was for the WBC
World Lightweight Title, earned by Camacho after his win over José Luis Ramírez
, who had, in turn, beaten Rosario for the title.
knocking out Reggie Gross
in the first round and Julio César Chávez
(who would later beat Camacho, Ramirez and Rosario) defending his WBC world Jr. Lightweight title with a seventh round knockout of Refugio Rojas. Camacho was critizized by many Puerto Ricans because of the trunks he wore that day; he wore a Puerto Rican flag, but with the flag's white star to his back. This was seen by many as an unpatriotic act, although Camacho had always proclaimed to be proud of being a Puerto Rican, and has continued to proclaim so.
In round five, Rosario connected with a left to the chin as Camacho was getting ready to fire a right hand, and Camacho's knees buckled. On the verge of falling, Camacho took his distance for the rest of the round, and Rosario continued on pursue, landing other damaging blows.
Rounds six to ten were dominated by Camacho (out of a possible fifteen combined rounds, as three judges were scoring the fight, Rosario was given only one round between rounds six and ten by one judge).
In round eleven, Rosario hurt Camacho again, with a sneaky left hook through Camacho's guard. Feeling he had a lead on the scorecards, Camacho again circled around the ring and grabbed, to avoid Rosario's punches. Rosario continued landing in round twelve, also sweeping the round on all judges' cards.
Minutes later, Camacho was announced as winner and still WBC world Lightweight champion by a split decision (scores of 118-111 and 115-114 for Camacho, and 114-113 for Rosario). The fight's result proved controversial, Puerto Ricans and other boxing fans who saw the fight have argued about the scoring ever since.
newspaper reported of a murder related to the fight: apparently, a man had made a bet
with another man, and after Rosario lost, the murder victim told his killer that he really didn't have any money, causing the killer to get enraged and shoot him.
A rematch was planned for 1997, but it never happened. Rosario died later that year, and Camacho is still active as a professional boxer.
Héctor Camacho
Héctor Camacho , nicknamed "Macho Camacho", is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. His son, Héctor Camacho Jr., is also a boxer.- Early life and amateur career :...
versus Edwin Rosario
Edwin Rosario
Edwin "El Chapo" Rosario was a Puerto Rican boxer. He was the WBC world lightweight champion from 1983–84 and the WBA world champion in 1986–87 and again in 1989–90...
fight took place on June 13, 1986, at the Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Background
TelevisedTelevision
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
in the United States by HBO Boxing
HBO Boxing
HBO World Championship Boxing is a sports television series, premiering in January 1973 that has shown a number of significant boxing events in the last three decades....
and in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
by WAPA-TV
WAPA-TV
WAPA-TV is an independent television station located in San Juan, Puerto Rico transmitting over digital channel 27, virtual channel 4. The station is owned by InterMedia Partners and is branded as WAPA Television....
(and to several other countries), the fight garnered wide media attention, specially in Puerto Rico: It was the fourth time that two Puerto Ricans
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
battled for a world boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
title, and, at that time, it was also the world title fight that pitted the two boxers who hailed from the closest birth-places in boxing history (Camacho was born in Bayamón
Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Bayamón is a municipality of Puerto Rico located on the northern coastal valley, north of Aguas Buenas and Comerío; south of Toa Baja and Cataño; west of Guaynabo; and east of Toa Alta and Naranjito. Bayamón is spread over 11 wards and Bayamón Pueblo...
, while Rosario was from Toa Alta
Toa Alta, Puerto Rico
Toa Alta is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the northern coast of the island, north of Naranjito; south of Dorado and Toa Baja; east of Vega Alta and Corozal; and west of Bayamón. Toa Alta is spread over eight wards and Toa Alta Pueblo...
, a mere fifteen minute car drive away from Bayamón). Sports reporter Rafael Bracero
Rafael Bracero
Rafael Bracero is a famous Puerto Rican sportscaster. Bracero graduated from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez then known as Colegio de Artes Mecánicas with a degree in civil engineering, and then he joined Puerto Rico's Perez Perry Channel 11 to cover sports as their main reporter.The...
travelled to New York to make a documentary about the fighters and the fight, and even former BSN basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
star Fufi Santori
Fufi Santori
Jose Santori Coll , better known as Fufi Santori, is a well known former BSN basketball player, coach and television sportscaster. He was also a physical education, basketball and tennis instructor at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez for close to thirty years...
, a self-declared not fan of boxing, got caught in the fight's hype, making a prediction on television on the day of the fight. He predicted Camacho would win.
The fight was for the WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
World Lightweight Title, earned by Camacho after his win over José Luis Ramírez
José Luis Ramírez
José Luis Ramírez is a retired Mexican boxer. He was a two-time World Lightweight Champion.-Career:A native of Huatabampo, Sonora and a resident of Culiacán, Ramírez made his professional debut on March 25, 1973 at the age of 15. He climbed slowly but steadily on boxing's rankings...
, who had, in turn, beaten Rosario for the title.
Undercard
The undercard included a young Mike TysonMike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
knocking out Reggie Gross
Reggie Gross
Reggie Gross was a journeyman heavyweight boxer in the 1980s. His most notable wins were upsets of undefeated Smokin' Bert Cooper and outstanding amateur and 14-0 pro Jimmy Clark ....
in the first round and Julio César Chávez
Julio César Chávez
Julio César Chávez is a retired Mexican professional boxer.He is a six-time world champion in three weight divisions, and for several years he was considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world...
(who would later beat Camacho, Ramirez and Rosario) defending his WBC world Jr. Lightweight title with a seventh round knockout of Refugio Rojas. Camacho was critizized by many Puerto Ricans because of the trunks he wore that day; he wore a Puerto Rican flag, but with the flag's white star to his back. This was seen by many as an unpatriotic act, although Camacho had always proclaimed to be proud of being a Puerto Rican, and has continued to proclaim so.
Fight
The first three rounds were swept by Camacho on all three judges' scorecards by keeping Rosario away with his jab and outcircling the pursuing challenger. In the fourth, Rosario began to turn things around by landing an uppercut in the final seconds, which earned him the round.In round five, Rosario connected with a left to the chin as Camacho was getting ready to fire a right hand, and Camacho's knees buckled. On the verge of falling, Camacho took his distance for the rest of the round, and Rosario continued on pursue, landing other damaging blows.
Rounds six to ten were dominated by Camacho (out of a possible fifteen combined rounds, as three judges were scoring the fight, Rosario was given only one round between rounds six and ten by one judge).
In round eleven, Rosario hurt Camacho again, with a sneaky left hook through Camacho's guard. Feeling he had a lead on the scorecards, Camacho again circled around the ring and grabbed, to avoid Rosario's punches. Rosario continued landing in round twelve, also sweeping the round on all judges' cards.
Minutes later, Camacho was announced as winner and still WBC world Lightweight champion by a split decision (scores of 118-111 and 115-114 for Camacho, and 114-113 for Rosario). The fight's result proved controversial, Puerto Ricans and other boxing fans who saw the fight have argued about the scoring ever since.
Aftermath
Days later, El VoceroEl Vocero
El Vocero is a Puerto Rican newspaper that is published in San Juan.Published since 1974, El Vocero was at first the third of the four largest Puerto Rico newspapers, trailing El Mundo and El Nuevo Día and leading The San Juan Star in sales...
newspaper reported of a murder related to the fight: apparently, a man had made a bet
Bet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
with another man, and after Rosario lost, the murder victim told his killer that he really didn't have any money, causing the killer to get enraged and shoot him.
A rematch was planned for 1997, but it never happened. Rosario died later that year, and Camacho is still active as a professional boxer.