In the early part of 2023, super middleweight Diego Pacheco has been one of the major stories of the year. Pacheco headlined a card and put forth a dominant performance as he looks to be Matchroom Boxing’s first homegrown world champion.
The 22-year-old fighter originally from Los Angeles, California, who relocated to Washington state to train with Jose Benavidez Sr., is now vying for a super-fight of his own. With the recent addition of Edgar Berlanga to Matchroom Boxing’s roster, Pacheco is making a case for why the two should fight before the year is over.
Berlanga, who had a historic start to his professional boxing career riffling off sixteen straight first-round knockouts has gone cold as of late. Berlanga has had four straight decision wins with each one arguably being less impressive than the last. Earlier this year, Berlanga parted ways with his promoter, Top Rank Inc., and signed with Matchroom Boxing, but has yet to return to the ring in 2023.
“Sooner, rather than later,” said Pacheco to iD Boxing, when asked about when he’d like to fight Edgar Berlanga. “I am ready, and I think [Berlanga] is ready as well, we just have to keep doing what we’re doing, and I am going to keep shining every time I am up there.”
Pacheco now will look to return sometime soon, as he hopes to find himself on the top of the bill of a fight card back in the United States soon.
“I want to headline in the U.S.,” said Pacheco to Secondsout.com. “I think in a few fights [I will face Edgar Berlanga], he’s a great fighter and I am a great fighter, and everyone wants to see that fight."