Super middleweight Diego Pacheco (23-0, 18 KOs) had a tougher time than expected, winning a 12-round unanimous decision against previously unbeaten fringe contender Steven Nelson (20-1, 16 KOs) on Saturday night at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Chelsea Ballroom, Las Vegas. Nelson finished strong, getting the better of Pachecko in the 11th and 12th.
The scores were 117-111, 117-111, and 117-111.
“It wasn’t my best performance, and I felt I could do better,” said Pacheco. “These are the fights that you learn from the most when you face someone who can take your punch. Any of those guys in the top five,” said Pacheco.
Undercard Results
– Lightweight contender Andy Cruz (5-0, 2 KOs) put on a clinic, defeating the slugger Omar Salcido (20-2, 14 KOs), winning a wide ten-round unanimous decision in the chief support fight. The scores were 99-91, 98-92, and 98-92. The Olympic 2020 Olympic gold medalist Cruz hurt Salcido in the tenth round and had him holding on to survive in the last 15 seconds.
Salcido had his moments in the fight, landing occasional big shots, but there wasn’t enough of them for him to have a shot at winning any of the rounds. Boxing News 24 had it 10-0 for Cruz because he was out-landing Salcido in every round. In the ninth, Cruz started dancing, which seemed to anger Salcido, who responded by hitting him with a low blow. The referee told Cruz it wasn’t intentional.
– Ernesto Mercado (17-0, 16 KOs) destroyed former two-division world champion Jose Pedraza (29-7-1, 14 KOs) by a fourth round in light welterweight action. Mercado landed a textbook right-hand rabbit punch to the back of Pedraza’s head, sending him down in the fourth round. The fight was halted by referee Robert Hoyle after Pedraza got back up.
He was too hurt to be allowed to continue. Even without the illegal rabbit punch, Mercado was going to knock out Pedraza sooner or later because he had way too much size, power, and youth for the former champion. Pedraza looked like a super featherweight going up against a small welterweight. Size-wise, this fight should have never been made. Mercado was much too big for Pedraza.
After the contest, Mercado called out WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson, who was sitting ringside, smiling. That would be a size mismatch too. Mercado should be fighting Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis at welterweight, but he obviously won’t. That would be more fair.
“It felt great being out there in Las Vegas with all the haters being in there,” said Mercado after the fight. “I was trying to stay calm, and when I saw the perfect shot, I landed. He was scared to get caught. I wanted him to get comfortable, and when I saw the opening, I landed.
– Light welterweight prospect Leonardo Rubalcava (9-0-1, 3 KOs) and Israel Mercado (11-1-2, 7 KOs) fought to an eight-round majority draw. The scores were 76-74 for Mercado, 75-75 and 75-75. Boxing News 24 scored it for Mercado.
Rubalcava dropped Mercado in the first round. Mercado then came on to dominate the second half of the fight with his pressure and high output. However, in the seventh round, the referee deducted a point from Mercado for a low blow. Mercado out-landed Rubalcava 202 to 98.
– Junior middleweight prospect Nishant Dev (1-0, 1 KO) won his pro debut with a first-round knockout win over Alton Wiggins (1-1-1). A native of Indis, Dev, 24, dropped Wiggins twice in the round.
The referee, Robert Hoyle, stopped the fight after Wiggins was bumped to the canvas. Wiggins looked shaky after he got back to his feet, resulting in the fight being halted. The time of the stoppage was at 2:48 of the first. The southpaw Dev looked powerful, landing left hands throughout the fight.
“I was dreaming about this moment,” said Dev after the fight. “I dedicate this fight to India. The road to the world championship now begins. I think I was excited for my pro debut. I’m ready for my next fight. I was three months locked down for my training. I was in shape for my first pro fight.
“Right now, my journey begins, and I’m ready for this. No one is a world champion from India. I want to be the first world champion from India.”
“India now has a fighter that can become a world champion,” said Eddie Hearn. “Nishant can go all the way to become a world champion. We’ve got to keep him nice and active. This is someone that can become a world champion. This is our first India fighter, and someone that can become a world champion.”
– Lightweight prospect Harley Mederos (8-0, 7 KOs) destroyed Arturo de Isla (5-3-1, 4 KOs) by a third-round knockout. Mederos, 24, nailed de Isla with a right hand followed by a booming short left hook to drop him in round three. The referee, Raul Caiz Jr., then waved it off. The time of the stoppage was at 1:27.
– Super featherweight prospect Zaquin Moses (2-0, 1 KOs) scored a first-round injury stoppage of previously unbeaten Mario Garcia (3-1, 3 KOs) in a four-round scheduled fight. Garcia suffered a bicep injury and couldn’t come out for the second round. Referee Robert Hoyle waved it off officially at 3:00 of round one.
