Admission: I had to look it up, double check, what the first name of the dude who threw the uppercut of the year 2023 on DAZN Saturday night, on a Matchroom card from Cali. Diego. Diego Pacheco, now 20-0 with 17 KOs.
Might want to remember the first and last name, and make a note to yourself that you probably will be entertained (and impressed) with this 168 pounder when you watch him play his trade.
Not saying he’s the almighty here…I’m saying the 22 year old from LA went at it with 32 year old Argentine Esteban Coceres (32-6-1; has lost to Edwin Berlanga, BJ Saunders, Eric Bazinyan) Saturday, and had to firewall to get to the other side–where he showed a bad-ass intent to finish.
Diego Pacheco Effort Contrasted Heavily With Shakur Stevenson Thursday Outing
I’m also saying if you acknowledge that you like to watch boxing, like to watch FIGHTS, then know that this man Diego Pacheco agrees with your stance. Not all of the athletes do.
His combo at the YouTube Theater to end the matter, punctuated by a savage (and sweet, if you are the thrower) uppercut…. Darn thing was so majestic, it’s above you and beneath this period.
That right hand had me thinking about, sorry, concussions, and how it’s weird we hear almost nothing about concussions in a sport which, shhhh, encourages them.
That’s a strange compliment to Diego Pacheco, right?
There was a time when it looked like Pacheco would stay in that post prospect zone….but he decided no, not what I’m about.
It was a fun fight, had ebbs and flows, saw Coceres gain steam some in the third, fourth, and fifth…then the Cali kid’s heart and mind and body clicked, and he grabbed the steering wheel…and drove over Coceres.
OK, I remember the first and last name and he’s mentally on my list, circle the date when Diego Pacheco fights.
And about that…Names were mentioned by his promoter Eddie Hearn after the stoppage, which came at 2:53 of the ninth. And, he made some sense, from his perspective.
But nah…Here’s the fight, make it next, stop over marinating and being too clever, Eddie (and all y’all!)…
Diego Pacheco, prospect graduate, needs to battle Edgar Berlanga, the NYer who has has gained a large following of folks hoping he loses.
Berlanga after watching Pacheco prevail crowed on Twitter/X about what he would have done better, and got countered by a fan with a severity that had me thinking about the end-blow uppercut!
Here’s the KO of the night, postfight edition:
No, seriously: here’s the takeaway—ask Eddie to make it happen.
Fans Need To Tell the Promoters What Fights Need To Get Made
We avoid fights that have actual storylines and interest because it’s an age of record building and coddling and boxing businessmen.
We the fans who want to watch good action need to let the powers that be know what action they should pursue…because left to their own devices, they too often seek to minimize their risk.
Diego Pacheco, on the other hand…He accepted risks and soldiered on, and prevailed, and yep, we will note that–and his first name!–for the record, and promise to tune in next time! Hopefully, it’s to see him fight Edgar Berlanga.
Founder/editor Michael Woods got addicted to boxing in 1990, when Buster Douglas shocked the world with his demolition of the then-impregnable Mike Tyson.
The Brooklyn-based journalist has covered the sport since for ESPN The Magazine, ESPN.com, Bad Left Hook and RING. His journalism career started with NY Newsday in 1999.
Michael Woods is also an accomplished blow by blow and color man, having done work for Top Rank, DiBella Entertainment, EPIX, and for Facebook Fightnight Live, since 2017.