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Add FightsATW on GoogleSuper middleweight Diego Pacheco (25-0,18 KOs) will return for the first time this year to face Immanuwel Aleem (22-4-3, 14 KOs) at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
The DAZN main event will see Pacheco, who aims to land fights with big names like Hamzah Sheeraz or Jaime Munguia, fighting under a new trainer, Buddy McGirt. The bout comes on the heels of a disappointing performance in December, when he was dropped by Kevin Sadjo but went on to win. Aleem lost an interim WBC title fight against Lester Martinez earlier this year.
Let’s look through the storylines.
Pacheco’s Resume Is Good; Let’s Go
Let’s look at Pacheco’s last seven fights. He fought Manuel Gallegos, Marcelo Coceres, Shawn McCalman, Maciej Sulecki, Steven Nelson, Trevor McCumby, and Kevin Sadjo. That’s a good mix of contenders, gatekeepers, and unbeaten fighters. Since beating Jack Cullen in 2023, Pacheco’s rise to the main event has seen him fight the best he can, but with his recent opponent choice, it feels like a lateral move after a hard fight. The hope is to get through this fight, then head to the interesting bouts.
The Buddy McGirt Effect
Pacheco is now training with Buddy McGirt. This will be his first fight in which McGirt is working the corner with Pacheco. Last year, Pacheco left Jose Benavidez Sr., who had been guiding his career for several years. He told me in December that the move was to focus on building “Team Pacheco,” and that adding McGirt could be the next step.
Let’s watch the chemistry between the two, and if Pacheco shows any improvement with McGirt, albeit it usually takes two training camps to see things implemented.
Aleem Strong Final Act
Aleem has always been good, not great, at the world-class level. He has three draws, most notably one against Matt Korobov, which was odd because Korobov originally won, but the outcome was changed due to a scoring error. Aleem has been a hard-luck fighter, best known for knocking out unbeaten Ievgen Khytrov in 2017. Khytrov looked like a monster, but Aleem stopped the hype. Then, in his next fight, Hugo Centeno Jr. knocked him out.
Aleem never achieved the consecutive wins needed to become a top name, but he can punch and is becoming a gatekeeper for the big names at 32.
Dignity Health Sports Park Gets Some Action
In 2012, Carson, California, was the place to be for boxing. Labeled a “fan-friendly” venue because the cheap seats are as good as the best ones, the venue hosted Brandon Rios vs. Mike Alvarado I, John Molina vs. Lucas Matthysse, Erislandy Lara vs. Alfredo Angulo, and Timothy Bradley Jr. vs. Ruslan Provodnikov.
It hasn’t hosted a fight there in two years. It might not be the biggest one, but it is a chance for Pacheco to prove he is a future L.A. star, and maybe, as boxing has changed so much, we can rekindle some of the magic of a classic L.A. venue that has been forgotten this decade.
Comparing Diego Pacheco to Lester Martinez
Lester Martinez won the interim WBC title against Aleem. This is a direct comparison of Pacheco’s abilities with those of other world-class fighters. The matchup is only half the battle; it also does Pacheco pass the fickle eye test.
What Does The Eye Test Say?
Pacheco wins by being better. The question is whether he stops Aleem and makes a statement or wins a points decision. Given that Pacheco hit the canvas in his last fight, concerns about his durability against a puncher will be observed.
What Do The Odds Say?
Pacheco is a massive favorite.
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