Diego Pacheco defeated undefeated WBA Continental Americas Super Middle Champion Steven Nelson over 12 rounds on Saturday night at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Chelsea Ballroom, Las Vegas, Nevada. In the co-main event, IBF International Lightweight Champion Andy Cruz easily defeated Omar ‘Super’ Salcido by a 10 round unanimous decision.
(Credit: Melina Pizano/Matchroom)
Pacheco, 23-0 (18) beat ‘So Cold’ Nelson, 20-1 (15) by a 12-round unanimous decision.
In the first three rounds the fight was closer and longer. Pacheco had a slight edge with the help of an effective jab over the aggressive Nelson. Nelson was cut on the left eyebrow in the last minute of the fourth round with a chop from Pacheco.
In the fifth round, Pacheco landed several straight rights to the chin. Nelson stopped being the aggressor since the cut. In the last minute of the sixth round, Pacheco lands well against Nelson.
Nelson comes out in the seventh round, looking for the big shot against the bigger Pacheco. In the eighth round, Pacheco landed numerous rights as the blood on the side of Nelson’s face continued.
In the ninth round, Pacheco landed good left hooks on Nelson’s chin. In the tenth round, Pacheco outpointed Nelson. Referee Allan Huggins walked Nelson to his corner and asked the ring doctor to check the cut.
Nelson had a good round in the eleventh round to overcome Pacheco’s lead. Nelson showed determination in the twelfth and final round, trying to land the big punch that took the round.
Scores were 117-111, 117-111 and 117-111.
Andy Cruz, 5-0 (2), defeated Omar ‘Super’ Salcido, 20-2 (14) by a 10-round unanimous decision for the vacant WBA continental title.
Cruz used an effective jab in the first two rounds, preventing the power puncher salcido from landing any big shots. In the third round, Cruz, with faster hands, gets to Salcido before he can dismount.
Cruz rocked Salcido with a right to the chin in the fourth round at the bell. In a round, Salcido fared better. Salcido showed a bruise under his right eye in the fifth round from Cruz’s power shots. Cruz continued to use an effective jab in the sixth round, taking another round off Salcido.
In the seventh round, both had their moments as Cruz had the edge with Cruz transitioning to Southpaw and back. In the eighth round, Cruz rocked the hard-hitting Salcido several times.
In the last minute of the ninth round, Cruz shocked Salcido. In the tenth and final round, Cruz hurt Salcido and held on to the bell. Cruz is now trained by one of the best trainers in the world, the Bozy Ennis of Philadelphia. His improvement is obvious.
Scores 99-91, 98-92 and 98-92.
The referee was Raul Caiz, Jr.
Super Lightweight Ernesto ‘Tito’ Mercado, 17-0 (16) impressed and former IBF Super Featherweight and WBO Lightweight Champion ‘The Sniper’ Jose Pedraza, 29-6-1 (14) at 2:08 of the fourth round of A, stop 10 rounds scheduled.
In the first two rounds, former champion Pedraza moved around a lot but threw some punches as Mercado easily won both rounds. Mercado moved well and countered in the third round, with Pedraza on the end of his punches.
In the fourth round, Mercado landed a left hand, followed by a right to the back of the head, which dropped Pedraza and referee Robert Hoyle removed him. Mercado’s uncle won the previous battle.
Super lightweight Leonardo Rubalcava, 9-0-1 (3), looked lucky to get a draw with Israel ‘Bad Ways’ Mercado, 11-1-2 (7), over eight exciting rounds.
In the first round Mercado Rubalcava, who wanted to end it early and threw bombs. Later, Rubalcava, who looked like a knockdown, was ruled by referee Allan Huggins. He later scored a knockout over Mercado. Mercado looked good early but was injured by Rubalcava. In the second round, the Slugfest continued, with both going for a knockout. Mercado’s right eye began to close in a close round.
In the third round the ‘war’ continued with both hitting big shots. Rubalcava suffered a nosebleed. In the fourth round, Mercado had a good round in this slugfest. Mercado seems to be landing hard punches to the body and chin in the fifth round. Rubalcava comes back, but not enough to win the round.
Mercado had another good round in the sixth, with a bit of quickness with his hands. Both prospects have a lot on the line in an excellent fan fight.
Mercado lost a point for a low blow from referee Allan Huggins in the seventh round. In the eighth and final round, the outstanding battle continued. Mercado had a good round.
Scores 76-74 Mercado, 75-75 and 75-75,
Lightweight ‘Dennis The Menace’ Harley Mederos, 8-0 (7), #134 ½, of Brooklyn, NY, made an impression by stopping Arturo de Isla, 5-3-1 (4) at 1:27 of the third round of a six-rounder scheduled.
In the first round, Mederos landed a left hook to the chin of De Isla, looking for an early stoppage. However, in the second round, but bleeding from the nose, Mederos continued to overwhelm a Game de Isla.
At the midway point of the third round, a hard overhand right followed by a left hook from Mederos on the chin of De Isla dropped him, which referee Raul Caiz, Jr.
2024 Olympic Southpaw Super Welterweight Nishant Dev, 1-0 (1), impressed to stop Southpaw Alton Wiggins, 1-1-1) at 2:48 of the first round of a scheduled six rounds.
At the first round halfway point, Dev Wiggins dropped a right to the chin for an 8 count from referee Robert Hoyle. Wiggins got up and fought back until he was dropped again by a vicious combination from Dev, causing referee Hoyle to immediately wave it off. Dev, who hails from India, is the first person from his country to be at this level, according to promoter Hearn.
Super featherweight southpaw Zaquin ‘Zaybop’ Moses, 2-0 (1), stopped Mario Garcia, 0-1) at the end of the first round of a scheduled four rounds.
In the first round it was all Southpaw. Moses had Garcia on the receiving end of the round. Between rounds, Garcia’s corner refused to let him because of an injured right elbow. The referee was Robert Hoyle.
The Ring announcer was David Diamante.
