RISING super-middleweight star Diego Pacheco is likely to target showdowns with Christian Mbilli, Jaime Munguia and Edgar Berlanga after his next outing.
The 24-year-old has already established himself as a promising contender at 168lbs, occupying a number one ranking with the WBO following his comprehensive unanimous decision victory over Steven Nelson.
In that performance, the rangy technician showcased his sharp jab and fluid footwork, outboxing Nelson through large spells of their contest in January.
But now, Pacheco is gearing up for a sideways step – if that – against Trevor McCumby, who is perhaps best known for suffering a ninth-round stoppage defeat to Caleb Plant last September.
Nevertheless, the pair will lock horns in Frisco, Texas, on July 19, featuring on the undercard of a Matchroom Boxing show headlined by Jesse Rodriguez vs Phumelela Cafu.
Before his upcoming fight was announced, though, Pacheco had been ordered to face Mbilli, 28-0 (23 KOs), in a far more appealing matchup for the WBC interim title.
Like Pacheco, Mbilli has cemented his status as one of the leading contenders for Canelo Alverez, with his number one ranking, meanwhile, putting him in pole position to challenge for the WBC world title.
But before securing his opportunity – most likely for a vacant green and gold belt – the Frenchman must first get past sturdy operator Maciej Sulecki on June 27.
Should both fighters come through their respective dustups, Pacheco’s trainer, Jose Benavidez Sr, is confident that their matchup could then be revisited.
After that, Team Pacheco is seemingly poised to set their sights on Munguia and Berlanga, as both of whom represent viable options at world level.
“We wanted that fight [with Mbilli],” Benavidez Sr told Boxing News’ Andi Purewal. “I don’t know what happened with Matchroom… We signed everything to make it happen.
“Who doesn’t want to fight for the [WBC interim title]? Hopefully we could [face Mbilli] next, after we fight Trevor McCumby.
“Then we could fight Munguia – that would be a great fight – and then we can fight Berlanga. That would be a perfect year for Diego Pacheco – to fight those three guys.”
