Report: Camacho fighting for his life after shooting
Former world boxing champion Hector "Macho" Camacho suffered cardiac arrest after he was shot in the face Tuesday near San Juan, Puerto Rico, but according to medical reports Wednesday morning doctors had stabilized his condition.
Camacho was hospitalized in critical condition after the shooting that occurred while while he was sitting in a car. Reports indicated that Camacho, 50, was on life support and his mother was expected to arrive Wednesday from the U.S. to determine the next steps.
"The doctors were able to get his heart started again with the medicine, and we are maintaining his blood pressure and pulse stable medically right now to see whether during this morning, afternoon or evening we see a positive change," Centro Medico director Dr. Ernesto Torres said Wednesday morning in a briefing.
However, Torres said there was decreased brain activity overnight.
"We will maintain him in this way we are maintaining him medically, and we will wait to see how he responds," Torres said. "He is a strong guy. The prognosis could change if he improves. The neurosurgeons are not intervening further at this point."
Camacho apparently was shot in the jaw, but the bullet also passed through his right shoulder and fractured two vertebrae, according to Torres. He said Camacho could be paralyzed if he survives.
The other man in the car with Camacho, Adrian Alberto Mojica Moreno, 49, of Toa Baja, died. Police said one gunman fired into the vehicle in Bayamon and that no arrests had been made so far.
Camacho, whose career record was 79-6-3 with 38 knocksouts, last fought for a world title in 1997 when he lost a unanimous decision to then-welterweight champion Oscar De La Hoya. His last fight came in 2010.
During a career in which Camacho battled drug and alcohol problems, heo held super-lightweight, lightweight and junior welterweight world titles.
