Hector Camacho Sr. leads 2016 Boxing Hall of Fame class; inductees remember Muhammad Ali

Dan Rafael
ESPN Senior Writer

CANASTOTA, N.Y. – When International Boxing Hall of Fame president Don Ackerman began to list the accomplishments of the late Hector Camacho Sr. at Sunday’s annual induction ceremonies, his son, Hector Camacho Jr., quietly wept while seated behind him on stage.

But when Camacho Jr., a longtime professional fighter, was called to the microphone to represent his father, one of nine inductees into the boxing shrine during its 27th annual ceremonies on a windy and chilly day, his mood brightened.

After offering his prayers for the victims of the Sunday morning mass shooting at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, and paying respects to the late Muhammad Ali, Camacho sounded just like his father, smiling and shouting to the crowd “What time is it?”

In unison, the crowd cheered and responded just as expected: “Macho time!”

“On my father’s behalf, what I got to witness firsthand was, he poured his heart, blood, everything he had into the sport,” Camacho Jr. said. “A little crazy, you’ve got to admit, but he was a wonderful person and a big-hearted father.”

It was a day to celebrate the career of Camacho Sr., the flamboyant former three-division world titleholder and one of the best fighters in Puerto Rican history, the rest of the class of 2016, and the sport of boxing.

Camacho (79-6-3, 38 KOs), who died at age 50 in 2012 as a result of a gunshot to the head while sitting in a parked car in San Juan, Puerto Rico, won world titles at junior lightweight, lightweight and junior welterweight and was one of the most popular fighters of the 1980s and 1990s.

Camacho was one of three boxers enshrined in the modern category, joining former bantamweight and junior featherweight champion Lupe Pintor (56-14-2,42 KOs), of Mexico, and former flyweight and junior flyweight champion Hilario Zapata (43-10-1, 14 KOs), of Panama.
Hector Camacho Jr. accepted the induction to the Hall of Fame for his father, who was shot and killed three years ago at age 50 in his native Puerto Rico. Alex Menendez via AP
Pintor, who hobbled to the podium because of a broken foot that was in a cast, and Zapata both spoke of their appreciation for being elected by the Boxing Writers Association of America, and paid homage to their home countries.

“This was a dream to me when I was a child,” Pintor told the crowd as his son translated.

Zapata spoke of how he was drawn to boxing as a child by his hero, Hall of Famer Ruben Olivares, and how he appreciated the honor of induction even though his fights were rarely seen in the United States. He also shared a sweet moment with his close friend, countryman and fellow Hall of Famer Roberto Duran, who jumped up from his seat on the stage and marched over to Zapata, kissed him on the forehead and wrapped him in a red and white robe that looked like Panama’s flag.

Inducted in the non-participant category were longtime judge Harold Lederman, known to most these days as the unofficial judge on HBO telecasts since 1986, and former Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Marc Ratner.

Lederman, who got by far the day’s biggest ovation when introduced, joked about all of the Showtime personnel in attendance following the network’s boxing card on Saturday night at nearby Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York, coming up to him to congratulate him on his induction.

“I think Showtime is trying to recruit me,” he said, drawing laughter from the crowd. Lederman said he was joking before thanking his colleagues at HBO and running through many memories from his long career in the sport he loves.

Ratner, known for his integrity and poise, ran the day-to-day operations of the Nevada commission from 1992 to 2006, before leaving for a job in a regulatory role with UFC. The promotion’s chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta and president Dana White made the trip from Las Vegas to witness his induction. Also on hand to honor Ratner were retired Nevada referee and Hall of Famer Joe Cortez and current referees Tony Weeks and Kenny Bayless, both of whom Ratner worked closely with.

Ratner spoke about the three most memorable situations he experienced as executive director — intense moments that helped him earn his reputation for being calm under fire: the famed “Fan Man” invasion of the Riddick Bowe-Evander Holyfield heavyweight title rematch in 1993, Mike Tyson’s infamous biting of Holyfield’s ears in their 1997 heavyweight title rematch, and the wild 10-round melee that erupted during the Floyd Mayweather-Zab Judah welterweight title fight in 2006 after the trainers entered the ring following a Judah foul on Mayweather.

Broadcaster Col. Bob Sheridan and newspaper columnist Jerry Izenberg, both with careers spanning half a century, were inducted in the observer category.

Both spoke of their decadeslong friendship with Ali. Sheridan, who called around 20 Ali fights, including from ringside for the famed “Rumble in the Jungle” against George Foreman, spoke about his love for fighters — be they superstar world champions or unknown four-round boxers — as well as for Ali.

“It’s really humbling to me to go into the Hall of Fame a few days after Muhammad Ali’s passing,” said Sheridan, who has called around 10,000 bouts and is scheduled to call his milestone 1,000th world title fight on July 23.
Izenberg, who said he was being inducted into his 15th hall of fame, said selection to boxing’s Hall of Fame was the most special of them all. He said he was in awe of the community spirit shown by Canastota, which treats inductees like royalty each year and fetes them with an old-fashioned parade through town before the ceremonies.

The 85-year-old Izenberg, who still writes columns for the Newark Star-Ledger and is one of America’s most revered sportswriters, said he didn’t necessarily agree with writers being enshrined, but happily accepted the honor.

“As writers the only fight we have is against the clock,” he joked about the never-ending deadlines.

He said he planned to come back to the annual inductions every year as long as his health allows it.

“I’ll never forget you and I hope you never forget me,” he said, choking up as he concluded his remarks.

Many Hall of Famers were on hand for the ceremonies, including the 94-year-old “Raging Bull” Jake LaMotta, Marvin Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard, who was part of a 40-year reunion of the 1976 U.S. Olympic team he starred on. Leonard spoke about the team, many of whose members were there, and also paid tribute to Ali and his late teammate Howard Davis Jr., who died in December.

Also inducted posthumously were Petey Sarron (103-23-12, 25 KOs), the featherweight world champion from 1936 to 1937, in the old-timer category, and noted New Orleans trainer Whitey Esneault in the non-participant category.