Super middleweight Diego Pacheco dispatched of Manuel Gallegos in the 4th round as the headline act promoted by Matchroom in Monterrey, Mexico.
Pacheco (19-0, 16 KOs) never looked in trouble all night establishing a disrupting jab from the first bell. It was a second successive 4th round knockout victory from Pacheco, who came off a knockout in the same round when facing England’s Jack Cullen in Liverpool five months ago.
Pacheco started to chop away against the Mexican early and was pushing his man back with some ease. Pacheco did have to taste the letter of Gallegos, but was not deterred as he continued to walk his man down.
The 4th round began with Pacheco on the front foot and was loading up with more venom. Credit to Gallegos, he kept coming forward in an attempt to force some success. However, the strength of the 22 years old from Los Angeles was just too much for the Mexican. A big left hook to the body sent Gallegos down to the canvass with just 40 seconds left in the round, it had followed an almost identical shot just seconds earlier. Gallegos was up early at the count of 5, but it would soon be over.
Pacheco didn’t give Gallegos a second to breath, pouncing on him immediately after the count. A gluttony of big shots came flying in, at least three left hands landed that saw the referee call a halt to proceedings with just seconds left in the round. Gallegos picked up his second career defeat, the first by knockout.
“I’m just that guy,” said Pacheco upon his victory to DAZN. “I’m getting better, wiser, stronger. The opposition is getting better, but that’s just raising the level of my performance and you are going to keep seeing that."
“That was such a good performance,” said promoter Eddie Hearn standing next to Pacheco. “We’ve been watching this young man grow since he was 17 years of age and we’re so proud of him. It was a small ring in here tonight, Gallegos is a big Super-Middleweight, he’s strong and has a great chin. It was the composure, shot selection; we knew the chin was like granite, he worked him to the body, chopped him down. This young man is going all the way.
"This young man has headlined against a Brit in England, against a Mexican in Mexico, next, it’s time to go to Los Angeles. He’s the future of the Super-Middleweihgt division, Jose Benavidez Sr is doing an unbelievable job. To see him grow from a 17 year old kid looking outside the ring for some advice, the fighter that he is becoming, he has got it all, it’s a joy to watch and you are looking at the future.
"We’ll have a big show in LA later in the year, South Central LA is going to come out for this young man and we’re going to have a great night. We’ll be looking for a top 15 opponent, Diego talks about the likes of Edgar Berlanga and Jaime Munguia - those are big fights for 2024. I want to finish the year with a big performance in LA against a credible 168lber."
