Torrecampo is the fifth of eight siblings and is a high schooldrop-out, completing just his freshman year. His father, Escolastico Torrecampo, Sr., was killed by New People's Army guerrillas in Davao City in 1985. Torrecampo is married to Cecille Camposano; they have three children, Ruscel Carl, Carisa Rose and Rich Cymoun. He lived with his extended family in Tondo, Manila.[4]
After retiring from boxing, Torrecampo worked at a factory in Quezon City. In 2006, he quit the job and became an ambulant vendor, selling food out of a bicycle cart in Tondo. In 2007, he was wanted for murder in the stabbing death of a garbage truck driver who allegedly hit his food cart, spilling his wares onto the street.[4] In 2011, Torrecampo was out on bail pending court hearings to resolve his case.[5]
Professional boxing career
Torrecampo fought in the light flyweight division from 1993-1997 and retired with 14 wins, 8 losses and 5 draws. On 9 February 1996, he fought Manny Pacquiao, who at that time held an 11-win, 0-loss record, in Mandaluyong, Manila. Pacquiao failed to make weight and was penalized by being made to wear eight-ounce gloves; Torrecampo wore six-ounce gloves. Torrecampo controlled the first two rounds and knocked out Pacquiao in the third round with a overhand left to the jaw as Pacquiao was coming in.[2]
"When he went down, I knew he wouldn't get up. The referee could've counted to 100 and he wouldn't have been able to recover. I prepared for him. I knew after throwing a jab, he would follow up with a straight or an uppercut. I waited for him to jab, then I countered."
A month after his victory over Pacquiao, Torrecampo broke his left wrist during another boxing match; he never went to a doctor for treatment. He retired in 1997; the improperly-healed fracture leaving a small bone sticking out of his left wrist. Torrecampo's biggest paycheck was a Php 30,000.00 purse for a fight in either Thailand or South Korea. His purse from the Pacquiao fight earned him Php 6,500.00 and his largest local paycheck was Php 17,000.00 for a bout he lost in General Santos.[4]
Return to professional boxing
In 2011, Torrecampo came out of retirement after 14 years. He won his first comeback fight against a younger opponent via a third-round knockout.[6]
