Pacheco vs Aleem headlines quiet July 18 boxing schedule

Diego Pacheco faces Immanuwel Aleem on Saturday in Carson, California, topping a sparse boxing weekend ahead of busier cards later in July.

The heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight bout streams on DAZN at 8 p.m. ET from Dignity Health Sports Park, the venue previously known as StubHub Center. Pacheco brings a 25-0 record with 18 knockouts against Aleem, who sits at 22-4-3 with 14 stoppages and is coming off a wide loss to Lester Martinez. Bad Left Hook noted that the 32-year-old Aleem "has never really broken through" despite some disputed scorecards on PBC cards years back. The site described the matchup as a two-star fight, the kind of opponent Pacheco should have drawn if he'd lost to Kevin Sadjo last December.

Matchroom's promotional push for Pacheco-Aleem

Matchroom staged an in-ring faceoff between the two fighters on the Bam Rodriguez card weeks ago that reportedly felt forced. "The promotion has felt abnormally try-hard," Bad Left Hook wrote, suggesting Pacheco has stalled in the same competitive gear without progressing. Still, Aleem carries enough grit to spring an upset if Pacheco arrives flat, the outlet allowed.

The undercard features Andy Cruz against Abraham Montoya at lightweight in a bout that was meant to be an IBF eliminator against Albert Bell. Cruz is said to be planning a drop to 130 pounds after this fight. Unbeaten featherweight Albert Gonzalez meets veteran Aaron Alameda, while Saul Sanchez takes on Bruno Rios Jr in a third 10-round supporting bout.

Earlier Saturday, DAZN carries Harlem Eubank against David Papot from London's Copper Box at 2 p.m. ET. Both welterweights are mid-level contenders — Eubank is 32, Papot 35 — with little at stake beyond IBF rankings. The last weekend of July brings back Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Errol Spence Jr to close a forgettable summer stretch for the sport.

Reported via:

• Bad Left Hook — Pacheco vs Aleem and more: Boxing schedule and previews for July 18, 2026