Super middleweight contender Diego Pacheco 20-0 (17) is looking to fight up to four times next year after passing his toughest test over the weekend.
The 22-year-old Los Angeles native repelled the challenge of Marcelo ‘El Terrible’ Coceres 32-6-1 (18) at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California on Saturday night, eventually prevailing by ninth-round knockout.
The rangy Pacheco was in control in the early rounds, using his length and reach to keep Coceres on the outside and at the end of his vaunted right hand. But as the rounds wore on the 32-year-old Argentinean worked his way back into the fight, finding a home for his left hook which landed repeatedly on Pacheco’s chin in rounds five through to seven.
Pacheco decided to fight fire with fire in the eighth, a move that paid dividends in the following round when he pinned Coceres on the rope and unleashed a hellacious right uppercut that the visitor didn’t see coming.
Coceres hit the deck and although conscious, was clearly dazed and confused. He watched as referee Ray Corona counted him out at the 2:53 mark.
At the time of the stoppage judge Karen Holderfield had the fight even at 76-76, while judges Lou Moret and Zachary Young both had Pacheco up by scores of 77-75 and 78-74 respectively.
It was the right fight at the right time for Pacheco, who was tested but came away with the win.
“I knew it was going to be a tough fight,” said Pacheco after the fight. “Coceres came to fight. I needed this fight in my career.
“After boxing a few rounds, I was able to let my hands go more and land. It was a good experience for me. He was taking good shots. I’m proud of my performance. I could’ve done better.
“I feel like I’m one of the top guys in the division. 2024, I’m ready for whatever.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn wants to get Pacheco out as often as possinle next year, not only to build his resume and push him closer to a world title shot, but also to build his brand and profile.
“Building nicely here, that was his first fight in Los Angeles. We had a good crowd tonight, room for improvement,” the Matchroom Boxing boss said.
“You got a young American fighter, a Hispanic/Mexican background who can really fight, who can punch and is only 22 years old.
“(The YouTube Theatre) is a really nice home for him, there’s another tier that we can open. We can probably get it to 3,500. Next time it will be sold out, then you just keep on going from there.
“We still got to build the story after tonight, we got to get him out more. We got to get him in front of the media and we got to get people talking.
“He must box three times next year, four would be nice but definitely three.”
