Diego Pacheco is focusing on Darius Fulghum when a vacant WBO title fight against Janibek Alimkhanuly may be within reach. That choice says more about Pacheco’s present position than another routine call for Jaime Munguia ever will.
Pacheco is set to face Fulghum on November 14 in Los Angeles, headlining TNT and DAZN’s “The Fight” series. Everything Boxing reports that the matchup will pair the WBA’s No. 5 and No. 6 super middleweights. The promoters and broadcasters have not formally announced the event.
Fulghum is a ranked opponent, but the timing raises an obvious question. Why is Pacheco negotiating with him when Pacheco is ranked No. 2 by the WBO, directly beneath Janibek?
With the WBO super middleweight title vacant, Janibek and Pacheco are the two highest-ranked, available contenders. The sanctioning body has not ordered them to fight, but its rankings place Pacheco in an ideal position to receive that opportunity. Committing to Fulghum suggests Pacheco’s team is not planning around Janibek.
It is difficult to separate that decision from Pacheco’s poor performance against Kevin Lele Sadjo. Pacheco looked far less convincing than a fighter ready to take on Janibek, a technically precise southpaw with power, timing and extensive championship experience. Pacheco later stopped Immanuwel Aleem, but beating Aleem did not answer every question raised by the Sadjo fight.
The pattern has become hard to ignore. Pacheco withdrew from an IBF eliminator against Christian Mbilli in late 2024 and fought Steven Nelson instead. His team then left negotiations for a WBC interim title fight with Mbilli in April 2025. In January 2026, Pacheco also withdrew from the purse bid process for a vacant WBO title fight against Hamzah Sheeraz.
Now Janibek may provide another route to the same WBO belt, and Pacheco is turning his attention toward Fulghum.
Fulghum is not harmless. He is physically strong, presses forward and will try to force Pacheco into an inside fight. Yet he lost to Bektemir Melikuziev in May 2025, suffering a twelfth-round knockdown, and later fought David Stevens to a hard draw. He is a far more manageable opponent than Janibek.
His style also suits Pacheco. Fulghum advances behind a high guard that exposes his midsection. Pacheco can intercept him with long right hands, counter uppercuts and shovel hooks to the body. The check left hook should be available whenever Fulghum charges inside without his jab.
Pacheco still needs to avoid his habit of cruising through the early rounds. If he lets Fulghum reach his chest and push him onto the ropes, the fight will become more physical than necessary.
The larger issue will remain regardless of the result. Pacheco has spent years asking for major fights, but his team repeatedly chooses another direction when a dangerous title route opens. Selecting Fulghum while sitting one position beneath Janibek does not resemble a fighter demanding his championship opportunity. It resembles a team that knows Pacheco is not ready to take it.