Sugar Ray Leonard vs Hector Camacho official on-site programme plus official bout sheet, billed "Defying The Odds", 1st March 1997, Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City, NJ.

Condition mint

Camacho W TKO 5

Camacho puts away Ray Leonard in the 5th which would eventually prove to be Leonards Last fight.

Price: £35

Equipped with speed, ability and charisma, Sugar Ray Leonard, filled the boxing void left when Muhammad Ali retired in 1981. With the American public in search of a new boxing superstar, Leonard came along at precisely the right time.
Leonard was named Fighter of the Decade for the 1980s. And why not. He entered the decade a champion and left a champion. In between, he won an unprecedented five world titles in five weight classes and competed in some of the era's most memorable contests.

There were few things Leonard could not do once the bell rang. But what he did best was analyze his opponents and devise a strategy to overcome them. He found a way to beat stylists, sluggers and brawlers. And beneath that flashy surface was a competitor with the remorseless ability to put an opponent away when they were hurt. There were few better finishers in boxing.

Leonard surfaced in the public's imagination after winning a gold medal at the 1976 Olympics. He won the WBC welterweight title in 1979 after stopping fellow Hall-of-Famer Wilfred Benitez in a violent chess match that pitted two of the game's master technicians.

After one successful defense, Leonard faced legendary lightweight champion Roberto Duran in what may be the most anticipated non-heavyweight fight in history. In a fast-paced battle, Duran dethroned Leonard with a unanimous 15-round decision. Leonard regained the title when Duran quit in the eighth-round of their rematch.

In 1981, Leonard climbed the scale and knocked out junior middleweight champion Ayube Kalule. He then returned to the welterweight division for a unification showdown with WBA champ Thomas Hearns. Leonard and Hearns waged a memorable war but Leonard, behind on all three scorecards, managed to knock Hearns out in the 14th round.

After one more fight, Leonard, suffering from a detatched retina in his left eye, retired. He returned to the ring in 1984 and knocked out Kevin Howard only to retire again.

After nearly three years of inactivity, Leonard returned again and pulled off the Upset of the Decade when he outpointed Marvin Hagler to win the middleweight title in 1987. Leonard added titles four and five in November 1988 when he recovered from an early knockdown to stop power-punching Canadian Donny Lalonde. At stake that night was Lalonde's WBC light heavyweight title and the vacant WBC super middleweight title.

Leonard made two successful title defenses of the super middleweight title, fighting to a controversial draw with Hearns and decisioning Duran in their third and final encounter.

Leonard retired again, but could not stay away. At age 34, he challenged WBC super welterweight champion Terry Norris in 1991. He was dropped twice and lost by unanimous decision at Madison Square Garden.

The former five-division champion announced his retirment in the ring immediately after the Norris fight. But in March 1997, he launched another unsuccessful comeback, which ended via a fifth-round TKO to Hector Camacho. It was the first time Leonard had ever been stopped.





Hector Luis Camacho, one of five siblings, was born to Maria and Hector Camacho on May 24, 1962. Originally from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, the Camacho family moved to the east side of Manhattan, in 1967. Spanish Harlem, one of New York’s more demanding neighborhoods, was the environmental catalyst for what was to become Hectors’ calling. “When you grow up in the ghetto, you’ve got to be tough or fast” Camacho recalls, “Lucky for me, I was both!”

Camacho attended Catholic school, “…but I’m no choirboy,” he’s quick to remind, “I spent most of my time at The Boys Club; I wanted to be like Bruce Lee.” His drive and determination earned him a second-degree Black belt in American Go-Ju.

In 1978, Hector fathered the first of four sons; Hector "Macho" Camacho, Jr. Hector Jr., a/k/a “Machito,” (Spanish for little macho,) is also a professional boxer, who at 26 years old currently boasts a record of 37-1-0, (20-KO).The three younger Camacho's Justin, MC and Tyler show promise in the sports arena. Justin plays basketball, MC is an up and coming Boxer, and Tyler also boxes. The 4 Camacho boys are Macho's pride and joy.

A three-time Golden Gloves Champion, Hector Camacho, Sr. began his formal boxing training at a local school. His natural talent and dedication to the sport secured him the World Championship at age 17, making him the second youngest World Champion in boxing history. Hector Camacho is 5’7”, and generally weighs in at 160 lbs. Although naturally right-handed, both he and his son box as southpaws.

The boisterous and ostentatious, Hector “Macho” Camacho went undefeated for more than 11 years. Throughout his career, he has defeated some very formidable opponents, including Rafael “Bazooka” Limón, Roberto Duran, Vinnie Pazienza, Ray “Boom-Boom” Mancini and “Sugar” Ray Leonard. By the end of 1996, he sported an impressive record of 64-3-1, (32) by knockout. Despite the three losses, “The Macho Man” was never knocked down or knocked out!

In 1997, Macho returned to the ring, and went the distance with Oscar de la Hoya. Despite the unfavorable decision, as Camacho puts it: “I’m no quitter!” and in 1998 he successfully defended his IBC Jr. Middleweight Title against Tony Menefee; a title that Camacho still holds today.

On July 14, 2001, Hector added the NBA Super-Middleweight title belt to his collection, by defeating Roberto Duran in a long-awaited rematch. “The Macho Man” is now an eight-time World Champion, in six different weight classes; there are no other boxers in the world that can make that claim. Camacho currently has an impressive record of 78-5-2, thirty-eight (38) by way of knockout.

Currently fighting out of Weehawken, New Jersey, Hector “Macho” Camacho creates excitement, both in and out of the ring, and his flamboyant style and charismatic personality is unprecedented and legendary throughout the world. Boxing fans everywhere know exactly what time it is when Hector Camacho steps into the ring… Its Macho Time!