Philippines, 12 Jan 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:

  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 12 JANUARY 2026: Dalton Smith Halts Subriel Matias in 5; Kabayel Stops Knyba in 3
    By Eric Armit, , Mon, 12 Jan 2026
  • Chess Players Association of Negros Occidental, Incorporated (CPANOI) – 2026 Opening Event
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 12 Jan 2026
  • STUNNING SMITH DESTROYS MATIAS TO BECOME WORLD CHAMPION
    , Sun, 11 Jan 2026
  • Former WBC champ Bazooka Limón hospitalized in Mexico
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sun, 11 Jan 2026
  • Zuffa Boxing set to unveil its maiden card on January 23 in Las Vegas
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sat, 10 Jan 2026
  • ‘I’ve got an army and army’s move in numbers’ Owen Corrigan returns for Light Heavyweight title Clash March 13 in Perth – Thunderdome 53
    , Sat, 10 Jan 2026
  • Pasalamat Festival Chess Tour 2026 to Push Through
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 10 Jan 2026
  • MANNY PACQUIAO PROMOTIONS & TURNING STONE RESORT CASINO PRESENT CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28 - VERONA, NY
    , Sat, 10 Jan 2026
  • ELIF TURHAN SIGNS NEW MULTI-FIGHT DEAL WITH MATCHROOM BOXING – FIRST IBF WORLD TITLE DEFENCE DATE SET FOR SATURDAY, JANUARY 31
    , Sat, 10 Jan 2026
  • Driving Philippine Tennis Forward: Jean Henri Lhuillier Champions the 2026 Cebuana Lhuillier Tennis Tour
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 10 Jan 2026
  • 2026 USA Boxing Elite High Performance Selection Camp Attendees Announced
    , Sat, 10 Jan 2026
  • ‘I’m ready to make some noise’ Billy Quinncroft returns for Cruiserweight title Clash March 13 in Perth – Thunderdome 53
    , Fri, 09 Jan 2026
  • Dableo and Laylo's Team to Compete in Bulacan
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 09 Jan 2026
  • Sanman Boxing present Yeerken vs. Carcedo WBA Asia South Title Clash in General Santos City on Feb 9
    , Fri, 09 Jan 2026
  • Hardstone adds 2 more title fights on January 26
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 09 Jan 2026
  • Panamerican Boxing Confederation Partners with Xempower for Digital and AI-Driven Transformation
    , Fri, 09 Jan 2026
  • IGMOB TALENT GROUP Launches www.IGMOBTalent.com to Represent Fighters, Entertainers, and Rising Talent Across Sports & Media
    , Fri, 09 Jan 2026
  • SEAG Davao-based athletes eye International stints
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 09 Jan 2026
  • Canoy banking on his ring experience against Kuse
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 08 Jan 2026
  • Undefeated Kansas Middleweight Prospect Marco “El Tiburon” Romero finished 2025 with 7th triumphs, all by knockout, & 11-0 record
    , Thu, 08 Jan 2026
  • Kinetix Sports aims for bigger events in 2026
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 08 Jan 2026
  • 2026 Santa Maria Town Fiesta Chess Challenge on January 26
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 08 Jan 2026
  • World Ranked Heavyweight Dainier Pero Headlines on Saturday, January 17th at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia
    , Wed, 07 Jan 2026
  • Jahyae Brown to Battle Arnold Gonzalez in Exciting Co-Feature on Thursday, January 15th at The War Memorial in Trenton, New Jersey
    , Wed, 07 Jan 2026
  • Hendri Cedeno Seeks Monumental Victory Against Alfredo Santiago for NABO Title January 10 at Barclays Center
    , Tue, 06 Jan 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.