Diego Pacheco is intent on making a statement to the super-middleweight division by becoming the first man to knock out Maciej Sulecki when he takes on the rugged Pole at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Los Angeles on Saturday night, live worldwide on DAZN.
Pacheco (21-0 17 KOs) is sitting pretty in the rankings at 168lbs but is keen to keep active and getting valuable experience and rounds in the bank as he waits for his crack at a world title.In Sulecki (32-2 12 KOs) Pacheco takes on a former world title challenger in his 35th pro fight, with the rugged Pole only suffering defeat at the hands of Demetrius Andrade and Daniel Jacobs. Pacheco respects the 35-year-old’s resume, and admits that this is his toughest test to date, but the 23-year-old not only thinks he’ll be the third man to beat Sulecki, but he’ll become the first to do so inside the distance.
“Maciej is a veteran, he’s been in some tough fights, and he’s fought good champions,” said Pacheco. “I’m just looking forward to adding him to my resume. He’s another guy that’s looking to take this away from me, but I’ve put the work in, I have God on my side, and that’s all that matters. With the work, the talent and support that I have, there’s nothing that can stop me.
“Maciej has had harder fights than my other opponents. He’s boxed some great fighters, and he’s fought for a world title, and he’s beaten a lot of good fighters too. So, we won’t know until I’m in the ring with him if he’s my toughest fight, but I’m treating this fight like it’s my last fight and I’m ready for the best of him.
“I’m a special fighter. All respect to Jacobs and Andrade, but I think that stylistically, I’m more of a power-puncher, I’m a better counterpuncher, I just have it all. I can work inside and go to the body, I can outbox my opponents to frustrate them and get them to open up, it’s just a matter of how the fight goes, I’m ready for whatever he brings, and I believe I’ll get the knockout.
“I don’t like to do too much studying, because you can study, and study, and study, and then on fight night you meet something completely different. I prefer to adjust when I’m in there, so we’ll see what he brings on Saturday.”
Pacheco’s clash with Sulecki tops a stacked card in Los Angeles, where super-featherweight KO artist Eduardo ‘Sugar’ Nunez (27-1 27 KOs) faces former world title challenger Miguel Marriaga (31-7 26 KOs).
There’s an all-Mexican war as Arturo Cardenas (14-0-1 8 KOs) defends his Continental Americas super-bantamweight title against Jesus Arechiga (21-1 15 KOs), Britain’s Chev ‘C4’ Clarke (9-0 7 KOs) makes his American debut against Efetobor Apochi (12-2 12 KOs) and The action on DAZN begins with an interim world title clash, as Adelaida Ruiz (16-0-1 8 KOs) defends her WBC super-flyweight title against Ginny Fuchs (3-0 1 KO).
Recent Matchroom signing Fabian ‘Zurdo’ Rojo (9-0 7 KOs) meets Alejandro Frias (15-10-2 7 KOs) over six rounds at welterweight, Criztec Bazaldua (5-0 1 KOs) faces Kyle Erwin (7-2 3 KOs) over six rounds at super-lightweight, and Alex Gueche (5-0 5 KOs) kicking off the night over six rounds at bantamweight against David Vargas (8-4-2 5 KOs).
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