Philippines, 18 Feb 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


HATTON AND CAMACHO ? TWO FALLEN EX-CHAMPIONS


PhilBoxing.com




Ricky Hatton and Hector Camacho are two boxing legends who were hounded by misery and depression in some part of their lives. Last Saturday, November 24, 2012, Hatton was beaten by former WBA welterweight champion Vyacheslav Senchenko of Ukraine by a ninth round stoppage at Manchester, England. On the same day, Camacho died after he was removed from life support after being shot in the face four days earlier in his hometown in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

Former WBA, IBF, IBO and The Ring lightwelterweight and WBA welterweight champion Hatton openly declared about his depression and alcohol and drugs abuse in an interview with the BBC. ?I was so down. I was crying and breaking out and contemplating suicide,? Hatton said. ?Depression is a very serious thing. People don?t raise how deadly it can be.?

On September 13, 2010, Hatton was admitted to a rehabilitation facility, The Priory, in Roehampton, London, England, for substance abuse to deal with drink and depression problems. The day before that, the Sunday tabloid News of the World published a front-page story ?alleging Hatton has been a regular cocaine user with accompanying pictures showing the boxer apparently using the drug.?

Hatton is said to be "devastated" following the story. The former champion sought medical help two weeks before that, after news surfaced he drank 11 pints of Guinness, Vodka and Sambucca during a night out.

His tragic fall to Manny Pacquiao was a painful experience which caused his despair. Now with the loss to Senchenko causing his second retirement, he is challenged to face another battle with loneliness and depression. Life away from adoring fans is terribly miserable for those who cannot accept their career is over.

Former WBO lightwelterweight, WBC lightweight and WBC superfeatherweight champion Camacho battled drug, alcohol and other problems throughout his life especially when his boxing career was on a downfall. In 2007, he was convicted of burglary of a computer store in Mississippi and was sentenced to seven years in prison. When he was arrested the police found ecstasy drug in his possession in January 2005.

A judge eventually reduced his sentence to one year and gave Camacho probation. He was later put on jail for two weeks after violating the probation. Camacho's former wife, Amy, filed a restraining order against him in 1998, alleging he threatened her and one of their children and they later divorced.

On November 20, 2012, Camacho was shot in the jaw and seriously wounded while sitting in a car outside a bar, with the driver, a childhood friend, was killed in the shooting. Packets of cocaine were found in the car.

''The people around him didn't have the guts or strength to lead him in the right direction,'' said Camacho?s friend former featherweight champion Juan Laporte as quoted by Associated Press. ''There was no one strong enough to put a hand on his shoulder and tell him how to do it.''

?Fighters are high risk candidates for developing depression. Professional boxing is one of the most brutal demonstrations of athletic ability and the relationship between repeated forceful head trauma and depression is steadily being established,? according to Ciar?n Herlihy of Boxing Insider.

In 2010, the Journal of the American Medical Association related brain injury with depression. It stated that the American Association of Neurological Surgeons estimated that 90% of boxers sustain brain injury and it recognizes the vulnerability of boxers.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • TRAINING CAMP NOTES: Dainier Pero Locked In Ahead of WBA Continental USA Title Defense in Orlando
    , Wed, 18 Feb 2026
  • A Milestone Birthday: Celebrating Brico Santig's 50 Years of Dedication, and Triumph
    By Carlos Costa, , Wed, 18 Feb 2026
  • PH bet Chezka Centeno finishes 2nd in Florida
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 18 Feb 2026
  • ARNOLD BARBOZA JR. AND KENNETH SIMS JR. SET FOR HIGH-STAKES CLASH IN CAN’T-MISS MAIN EVENT ON DAZN
    , Wed, 18 Feb 2026
  • CALLUM SMITH VS DAVID MORRELL MEGA FIGHT SET FOR APRIL 18 IN LIVERPOOL AS PAT BROWN HEADLINES IN HIS HOMETOWN ON APRIL 3
    , Wed, 18 Feb 2026
  • 2026 USA Boxing Youth High Performance Selection Camp Attendees Announced
    , Wed, 18 Feb 2026
  • Rapid chessfest gets underway February 22
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 18 Feb 2026
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 16 FEBRUARY 2026: Ajagba, Dzambekov, Ruiz Register Stoppage Wins in Zuffa Event
    By Eric Armit, , Tue, 17 Feb 2026
  • Mexican government and WBC join forces to create mega-project “Boxing for Peace”
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 17 Feb 2026
  • All eyes on GM Johan-Sebastian Christiansen in Manny Pacquiao International Open dubbed as 87th Kalilangan Chess Festival 2026
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 17 Feb 2026
  • WBC Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios Locked in for Ryan Garcia Showdown February 21 at T-Mobile Arena
    , Tue, 17 Feb 2026
  • Dana White mocks traditional boxing promoters: "No contest, it's like hitting babies"
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 17 Feb 2026
  • LEIGH WOOD OUTLINES PLAN OF ATTACK FOR SOLD OUT REMATCH AGAINST JOSH WARRINGTON
    , Tue, 17 Feb 2026
  • Cain Velasquez released from a California State prison
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 17 Feb 2026
  • Patrick Rivera wins Pacman's Cue Club 10-Ball Tournament; pockets P100,000
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 17 Feb 2026
  • Undefeated Brooklyn heavyweight Pryce Taylor Fighting again in Detroit this Sunday on Claressa Shields’ card
    , Tue, 17 Feb 2026
  • TRAINING CAMP NOTES Gabriela Tellez Ready to Make a Statement This Friday in Orlando
    , Tue, 17 Feb 2026
  • Rapista wins WBC Far East Silver super flyweight title
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Mon, 16 Feb 2026
  • IM Christian Gian Karlo Tade-Arca faces tough competition in Manny Pacquiao International Open dubbed as 87th Kalilangan Chess Festival 2026
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 16 Feb 2026
  • Efe Ajagba vs Charles Martin: Zuffa Heavyweights Square Off on Sunday
    By Chris Carlson, , Sun, 15 Feb 2026
  • “The Nightmare” Back in Action: Oguni vs Tapales April 3 in Japan
    By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 15 Feb 2026
  • Cold Comfort: Tapales and Vitor Frozen Out in Moscow Heartbreaker
    By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 14 Feb 2026
  • WBC Celebrates 63 years of dedication to the sports and fighters
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sat, 14 Feb 2026
  • BOXING STARS FROM AROUND THE WORLD LINING UP FOR 2026 HALL OF FAME WEEKEND IN "BOXING’S HOMETOWN"
    , Sat, 14 Feb 2026
  • Filipino Boxers Make Weight in Brico Santig's Valentine's Show in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Sat, 14 Feb 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.