Diego Pacheco wants to be recognised as a contender rather than a prospect once he knocks out Jack Cullen in their WBO International Super-Middleweight Title showdown at the M&S Bank Arena Liverpool this Saturday March 11, live on DAZN (excluding Australia and New Zealand).
The undefeated 22-year-old sensation, who fights in the UK for the first time in his career this weekend, is eager to make a big impression in front of Liverpool fight fans by stopping ‘Little Lever’s Meat Cleaver’ in what will now be the co-headline bout following Callum Smith’s injury.
“Jack Cullen I feel is a good opponent, finally someone that the fans know I guess,” said Pacheco. “If I beat him then it’s going to be like, ‘he beat this guy’, and I hope people are going to start believing in me a little bit more.
WHAT TIME IS PACHECO VS. CULLEN?
- Date: Saturday, March 11
- Time: 7 p.m. GMT / 2 p.m. ET
- Main event ringwalks (approx): 10:20 p.m. GMT / 5:20 p.m. ET
- The card will stream live on DAZN in over 200 countries across the globe
- The main card is set to get underway at 7 p.m. GMT / 2 p.m. ET with the main event ringwalks scheduled for 10 p.m. GMT / 5 p.m. ET.
“After I get this win, I do feel that people will start recognising me more as a contender than a prospect. He’s tall and he has a lot of heart, but I’m a way better fighter than him. I see myself stopping him. He won’t be able to take my power. Once I see the opening, I’ll take it.
“I think this fight is really important for my career. It’s really important that I put on a good performance. I wanna knock him out, I wanna stop him. In whatever round it comes in, whether it’s a body shot or a head shot, I just wanna to stop him.”
Pacheco trains in Seattle, USA under the guidance of Jose Benavidez Sr alongside the likes of two-time World Champion David Benavidez, who is preparing for a March 25 WBC Interim World Title fight with Caleb Plant, and the Los Angeles youngster says he is feeling the benefits from countless rounds of world class sparring.
“I’ve been part of David Benavidez’ last five fights. Every camp here is really tough. It’s good work, it doesn’t get better than this. The first time I ever came down here, David reached out to me on the DMs. It was after my Saudi Arabia fight. He was like, ‘oh I was watching that, you’re really good, do you wanna come down and work with me?’. I was like ‘hell yeah’.
“That’s what has gotten me the great wins, the great knockouts – the preparation I’ve been doing. That’s the reason I’m here working with them. There are other great sparring partners in here as well and I’m preparing better than ever for this fight. The sparring doesn’t get better than this so I’m really thankful for that.
“Obviously it is really tough, David Benavidez is a really good fighter. Every time I’m in there with him I learn something new. He pushes me more than anyone else. That’s exactly what I need.”
Pacheco vs. Cullen is part of a big night of action in Liverpool, local Super-Lightweight Robbie Davies Jr (23-3, 15 KOs) takes on Darragh Foley (21-4-1, 9 KOs) over ten rounds, Romford Heavyweight sensation Johnny Fisher (7-0, 6 KOs) takes ‘The Romford Bull’ Army to Liverpool for the first time as he faces Italy’s Alfonso Damiani (6-2, 2 KOs) over eight rounds and decorated amateur star turned Super-Bantamweight prospect Peter McGrail (6-0, 5 KOs) makes his highly anticipated Matchroom debut against Argentina’s Nicolas Nahuel Botelli (14-7, 8 KOs).
Warrington Lightweight talent Rhiannon Dixon (7-0) squares off with Wombourne’s Vicky Wilkinson (5-0-1) for the Commonwealth Title, Oldham’s Aqib Fiaz (10-0) takes on Yeovil’s Dean Dodge (9-2-1, 3 KOs) over eight rounds at Super-Featherweight, plus there’s for Hyde’s Campbell Hatton (9-0, 3 KOs), Chester Middleweight Paddy Lacey (7-0, 1 KO) and Billericay Middleweight George Liddard (1-0, 1 KO).
DIEGO PACHECO VS. JACK CULLEN FIGHT CARD
- Diego Pacheco vs. Jack Cullen; Super middleweight
- Robbie Davies Jr vs. Darragh Foley; Super lightweight
- Johnny Fisher vs. Alfonso Damiani; Heavyweight
- Peter McGrail vs. Nicolas Nahuel Botelli; Super bantamweight
- Rhiannon Dixon vs. Vicky Wilkinson; Women’s lightweight
- Aqib Fiaz vs. Dean Dodge; Super featherweight
- Campbell Hatton vs. Michael Gonxhe; Super lightweight
- Paddy Lacey vs. James McCarthy; Middleweight
- George Liddard vs. Daniel Przewieslik; Middleweight