Diego Pacheco is set to headline a Matchroom Boxing card in Los Angeles in November, but the route Eddie Hearn has discussed for him depends on several results and promotional decisions that Matchroom cannot control.
The opponent selected for the 25-year-old will help determine how realistic Hearn’s plans are. Pacheco needs a performance that raises his value without taking a loss before reaching WBA super middleweight champion Jaime Munguia. The idea is easy to understand. Hearn can keep Pacheco protected, guide him toward Munguia and hope that winning the WBA belt eventually leads to a fight with Canelo Alvarez.
EverythingBoxing reported that Pacheco will lead the card, although his opponent, date and venue remain unannounced. Hearn previously named Bruno Surace and Armando Resendiz as possible opponents after Pacheco’s 11th-round stoppage of Immanuwel Aleem in July.
Resendiz is coming off a loss to Munguia. Surace lost his rematch with the Mexican champion, but he also knocked him out in their first fight. Surace’s history makes him dangerous, although beating him may not convince Munguia to face Pacheco.
Getting there will be difficult. Munguia and his promoter must first want the Pacheco fight. Another clinch-heavy performance like the one Pacheco produced against Kevin Lele Sadjo gives them little incentive. Pacheco does not bring the audience or money needed to make an awkward voluntary defense worthwhile.
If Munguia declines, Pacheco would have to become the WBA mandatory and wait for the sanctioning body to order the fight. Mandatory status still would not produce a firm timetable. It would be up to the WBA to force the issue, and as we’ve seen lately, they can be lax about doing that. In other words, Pacheco could become mandatory to Munguia’s belt, and still not get a title shot soon.
“You look at Canelo, if he beats Mbilli, and Diego is coming through and looking good. He will be 26 or 27-0, from Los Angeles, Mexican-American. He is a good contender for a Canelo Alvarez fight,” said Eddie Hearn to Boxingnews.
The Canelo portion requires even more help. Canelo must defeat WBC champion Christian Mbilli on October 31 to regain the belt and remain active long enough for Hearn’s dream vision to work. Mbilli’s youth, size, pressure and high output present a serious threat to the 36-year-old challenger. Canelo may lose and possibly get knocked out.
Even if Canelo wins, Pacheco offers little in terms of financial value, and has a clinch-heavy style unlikely to create interest on his part.
A more direct option would be IBF champion Osleys Iglesias. Pacheco is ranked No. 13 by the IBF, leaving Hearn room to try to get him a voluntary title shot. Pursuing Iglesias would show Hearn’s confidence in Diego. He would have to believe that he could beat Osleys for him to go that route. Given the way Pacheco looked against Kevin Sadjo, getting hurt repeatedly, it’s unlikely Hearn would take the chance of putting him in with the Cuban Osleys.
The Munguia route is safer than facing Iglesias. It also depends on too many things going Hearn’s way.