Diego Pacheco: The Heir To Canelo Alvarez’s Super-Middleweight Throne?
When Eddie Hearn announced the signing of a 17-year-old Diego Pacheco to his Matchroom Boxing stable in 2018, he described the Californian as a future “multi-weight world champion” who was destined to become a “huge star”.
Like all promoters, Hearn can be prone to hyperbole, but in the case of Pacheco, his lofty praise had substance. The teenage prospect was entering the professional ranks following a hugely successful amateur career and armed with an abundance of talent and potential.
Six years and 21 fights later, Pacheco (21-0-0 17 KO) has made seamless progress, steadily climbing the super-middleweight ranks to put himself in world title contention.
The 23-year-old returns to the ring on Saturday for a bout against Polish veteran Maciej Sulecki (32-2-0 12 KO) in Carson, California for what could be the toughest challenge of his career so far.
Sulecki, 35, is in the latter part of his career, but he has plenty of experience against top-tier opponents, with his only losses coming against world champion fighters Daniel Jacobs and Demetrius Andrade. One of his most notable victories was over Gabriel Rosado in 2019.
Win and Pacheco will further cement his status as a leading contender at super-middleweight; lose and his hopes of securing a shot at the winner of Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez v Edgar Berlanga will vanish.
So, ahead of Saturday’s high-stakes bout, here is everything you need to know about Diego Pacheco.
Boxing Career
Pacheco was introduced to boxing at a young age and immediately showed a natural talent for the sport. As an amateur, the Los Angeles native won eight national championships and was ranked the No 1 middleweight in America and Mexico.
Instead of waiting for his shot at the Olympics – which has a minimum age requirement of 19 – Pacheco turned pro when he was just 17. After agreeing promotional terms with Matchroom in October 2018, he made his pro debut two months later with a first-round knockout in Tijuana.
Pacheco got his first taste of a major show 12 months later in his eighth fight, appearing on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s unified heavyweight rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia. Again, he secured a first-round knockout. Two months later, the Californian was on another big undercard, defeating Oscar Riojas as part of the Mikey Garcia v Jessie Vargas show in Texas.
In his 16th fight, Pacheco contested and won his first belt, claiming the WBC’s vacant USA super-middleweight title by stopping Enrique Collazo in the fifth round – on the Canelo v Gennady Golovkin trilogy undercard.
He added the WBO’s intercontinental title two fights later, in March 2023, by knocking out Jack Cullen in Liverpool, England. Pacheco has made three successful defenses of his two belts, with Saturday’s bout with Sulecki being his fourth. His most recent fight was a points win over Shawn McCalman in April.
Pacheco Fighting Style
For a fighter with such an accomplished amateur background, Pacheco of course has excellent fundamentals, both in his skillset and his ability to control the tempo of fights that go the distance. At 6ft 4in and with a long reach, the Californian holds a height and range advantage over most of his opponents, allowing him to fight effectively from the outside.
However, Pacheco has been most effective so far fighting on the inside, relying on sharp defenses and reflexes to land combinations from close range. The American may not be stacked with muscle but he generates excellent power through technique and timing.
At 23 years old, he still has so much potential to fulfil and can become a more complete and well-rounded fighter. David Benavidez Sr is tasked with Pacheco’s evolution, and the fighter is benefitting from training alongside his trainer’s sons: world-champion-in-the-making David Benavidez Jr and Jose Benavidez.
“I’ve made a few changes and have learned a lot with Coach Benavidez,” Pacheco told The Ring ahead of his last fight against McCalman. “I feel stronger than ever. Can’t wait to show all my fans what I continue to learn with each camp.”
“I’m honored to play this role in Diego’s career,” Benavidez Sr said. “He is a very talented fighter. The key for me is to work very hard and smart to move and develop his talent even more.”
What’s Next For Pacheco?
Assuming he gets past Sulecki on Saturday – and he is an overwhelming favorite to win – Pacheco will continue his calls to challenge for a world title; he has already stated his hopes of fighting the winner of September 14’s unification bout between Canelo and Berlanga.
Pacheco will certainly be on the shortlist for the champion’s next opponent. He is the No 1-ranked challenger by the WBO and his placed fourth with the IBF and WBC. However, in a stacked division, there are several candidates to challenge for the belts, including Christian Mbilli and William Scull.
If Pacheco is overlooked – and if Canelo beats Berlanga, his next fight won’t be until May 2025 – then there could be the option of challenging for the vacant IBF title. The IBF is likely to order the top-two ranked contenders, Scull and Vladimir Shishkin, to fight for the title, although Pacheco’s team will no doubt campaign for their fighter to be involved.
Whether he challenges for a world title in his next fight, or it takes a bit longer, Pacheco is still in the early stages of his career, so it will surely be only a matter of time.
