Promoter Eddie Hearn wants Jaime Munguia to be next for #1 WBO ranked Diego Pacheco following his sixth round one-punch body hold knockout of grizzled veteran Maciej Sulecki last Saturday night at the Dignity Health Park, Carson, California.
A bridging battle or a business move?
Hearn boasts that 23-year-old Pacheco’s win locks him in for a guaranteed title shot against WBA, WBC and WBO super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez. However, Matchroom Boxing promoter Hearn wants Pacheco (22-0, 18 KOs) to face recently beaten Jaime Munguia (43-1, 34 KOs) in a bridge fight.
Hearn’s idea is more about business because he feels a clash between Munguia and Pacheco would sell out the Crypto Arena in Los Angeles. This would increase Pacheco’s popularity and beat the famous Munguia.
It is doubtful that Munguia’s top-ranked promoters will agree to match him against Pacheco, as he is coming off a 12-round unanimous decision loss to Canelo on May 4. Putting him in a tough fight so soon wouldn’t make sense.
If Hearn wants to bridge the 6’4″ Pacheco in a fight that has a realistic chance of happening, he needs to match up against the talented, undefeated. Osley Iglesias. This is a fight where Pacheco will have to prove that he is genuine and not a fake, manufactured fighter that some believe him to be.
Cuban Iglesias (12-0, 11 KOs) is #5 WBC and looks dangerous. As an amateur in Cuba, Iglesias reportedly beat David Morrell, which shows you what kind of talent he has.
Hearn’s focus on marketability
“I think it sells out that arena without a doubt,” promoter Eddie Hearn told the mediatalks about a bout between Diego Pacheco and Jaime Munguia that could potentially sell out the 21,000-seat Crypto Arena in Los Angeles.
Hearn needs to come down from the clouds and realize who he can actually get Pacheco next. Unless His Excellency Turki Alalshikh can step in and offer Munguia big money to fight Pacheco, that match has little chance of happening.
“Jaime Munguia has left Golden Boy and is now on the highest ranking,” Hearn said. “So maybe this is a fight that can be made. We are in a great position because we have our world title shot (against Canelo Alvarez). It’s locked.”
The Future King of 168 is coming! https://t.co/k6vIyhBIMt
— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) September 1, 2024
Hearn needs to focus on the fighters he can get for Pacheco. The Eye of the Tiger promotion has little reason to have Pacheco fight #1 WBC ranked Christian Mbilli as he is on the verge of a world title shot against Canelo and doesn’t have to take a risky fight against an up and coming .
Eye of the Tiger would probably be more receptive to a matchup against Pacheco is Osleys Iglesias, who they also promote. If Hearn is truly motivated to give Pacheco a bridge fight to prepare him for Canelo, he should contact Osleys Iglesias’ promoters so they can set up a clash. They could stage the fight at the Crypto Arena in Los Angeles, and it would sell out.
“We will see what happens with Edgar Berlanga. I believe he’s going to give a big fight on September 14,” Hearn said. “If he wins, fantastic. If he doesn’t, he’s going to be a massive name. Munguia, Mbilli is a big fight (for Pacheco). Bazinyan, which we actually tried to get for tonight.”
Erik Bazanyin would not be a bridge fight for Pacheco. Rather, it would be a lateral move from his fight against Sulecki last night. Bazinyan is a 10-year pro with a record full of fluff, and he’s looked terrible recently. I’ll pick Sulecki to defeat the 29-year-old Bazinyan by knockout.
If it’s more about making sure Pacheco doesn’t get beat before a cash-in fight against Canelo, Bazinyan is perfect because Diego will have no trouble beating him. But Hearn needs to stop the bridging nonsense he’s chirping about because it’s just words.
Putting Pacheco in with Bazinyan is more about protecting him like he did with Berlanga by matching him against Jason Quigley and Padraig McCrory rather than David Morrell, who wanted to fight him.
“We don’t have to chase a shot at a world title anymore,” Hearn said of Pacheco being the #1 WBO contender for Canelo’s belt with that organization. “We have it. It’s just when it comes. So what we do in between that moment is very important. It’s more for his development to make sure he’s ready. When he does a name, it’s going to do big numbers.”
Protect Pacheco or prepare him?
Again, if Hearn wants to develop Pacheco, he needs to stop protecting him and throw him in with Osleys Iglesias to see if he’s ready for Canelo. I don’t think Pacheco is close to ready because he looked awful in every sense of the word against Sulecki. Iglesias would destroy the version of Pacheco we saw last night.
“I just feel that Jaime Munguia sells out against Diego the Crypto, and I think it’s a brilliant fight as well. It’s a tough fight, but I think style-wise, what a great fight, those two,” Hearn said.
