IT wasn’t quite the statement performance he craved, but Diego Pacheco was a step ahead in almost all of the rounds last night in Texas. The fans in attendance did not appreciate the tepid tapping as Pacheco defeated Trevor McCumby by unanimous decision.
Boxing as the chief supporting contest to Jesse Rodriguez’s unification with Phumelela Cafu, intense action was expected, but it was a bloody and tentative affair for the most part. Two of the scores, 119-109 apiece, gave McCumby at least some credit for his efforts. The third total, 120-108, awarded him nothing at all.
Attempting to get inside the Pacheco left jab, McCumby launched in during the second round, causing heads to clash and a small laceration appeared between McCumby’s eyes. The crowd voiced their disapproval in round five, booing the lack of liveliness.
Known for late fades, Illinois puncher McCumby seemed to be boxing with the distance in mind. Not necessarily winning over the distance, but at least lasting it. McCumby threw a few wild bombs in the eighth, trying to turn the tide. Not much was landing and Pacheco was content boxing to instructions.
The pattern continued down the stretch. So desperate he was to escape the rounds, McCumby thought the 10-second warning in the ninth was the bell and lumbered off shift early, as Pacheco tried to capitalise.
Falling to 28-2 (21 KOs), McCumby had his cut inspected again in the final round. Three rounds earlier, Pacheco’s trainer Jose Benavidez Sr felt their opponent was “ready to go”. That never appeared to be the case, as McCumby still looked strong to everyone else, Pacheco included, who boxed conservatively, improving to 24-0 (18 KOs). Laurence Cole refereed.
