NEW YORK -- Hector Camacho Jr. has drawn cheers, boos and laughter with his flamboyant entrances, which have included him riding a camel into the ring for a fight.

It was his exit, however, not his routine entrance, that drew catcalls early Sunday morning at a minor-league ballpark in Coney Island, Brooklyn.

The 22-year-old Camacho remained unbeaten, but his victory over veteran Jesse James Leija on a technical decision after five rounds tarnished the image of the WBA's No. 1-ranked super lightweight.

Leija and his manager, Lester Bedford, called Camacho a quitter, and there is evidence that their description was accurate.

In the fifth round, a cut was opened across the Camacho's right eyelid.

At the end of the round, Dr. Robert Polafsky examined the cut.

After the doctor left the corner, Camacho walked across the ring and exchanged words with Leija, then returned to his corner. Leija, thinking Camacho had quit, raised his arms in triumph.

Then it was announced that the doctor had ordered the fight stopped, and under the rules it would go to the scorecards. Camacho was ahead 49-46 on two of them and 48-47 on the third. The decision was booed by a crowd of about 4,000 fans at KeySpan Park.

The AP favored Leija 48-47.

"He quit in the corner," Bedford said. "His manager and promoter told him to tell the referee, he couldn't see.

"I clearly heard the doctor say the fight could go on," said Michael Buffer, the ring announcer.

"The doctor said he could continue," said Larry Merchant, HBO boxing analyst. "He said 'I can't see,' and the doctor said OK."

The doctor, referee Steve Smoger and the judges were ordered by the New York State Athletic Commission not to talk to the media.

Camacho (33-0, 18 knockouts), whose father was WBC super featherweight and lightweight champion in the 1980s, said, "I was caught by a head butt by Leija, who also was throwing elbows."

It appeared Camacho's cut was caused by a clash of heads as both boxers were leaning in.

Leija was cut over the left eye in the first round.

"I'm a man," said Leija, 35, (42-6-2, 17 knockouts), a former WBC super featherweight champion. "I fight through it when I'm cut."

Before the fight, Camacho, who lives in Puerto Rico, said he was the draw and that Kostya Tszyu, WBC-IBF 140-pound champion, and Zab Judah, IBF champion, needed him.

The two are scheduled to fight in November, and now it appears that the winner of the bout needs Camacho less than he thinks.

In a 12-round heavyweight match, Kirk Johnson of Canada earned the WBA's No. 1 ranking with a unanimous decision over Larry Donald.