Estephan is in a tough spot. Iglesias struggled to gain traction with top fighters and was largely ignored at the weight. It wasn’t easy to find a recognizable name willing to fight him.
Estephan wanted Lester Martinez first and didn’t get him, so Pacheco’s name is being mentioned now. He’s ranked, undefeated, and has a win over Sadjo, making him an easy name to throw out once the first option falls apart.
The timing also works against this fight going anywhere. Pacheco now has better options opening up, with Riyadh Season showing interest in matching him against Hamzah Sheeraz. It’s bigger money and a bigger platform, and once that door opens, fights like Iglesias tend to fall off the table quickly.
Hearn’s preferred direction
Eddie Hearn has already pointed in a different direction and named Jaime Munguia as the opponent he would prefer for Pacheco next. Munguia is well known to American fans, has been on television for years and has shown vulnerability, losing two of his last four fights since 2024. From a business standpoint, it’s a cleaner move for Pacheco.
An Iglesias fight carries more risk than he’s worth. He holds the IBO belt and only stopped Vladimir Shishikin in an IBF eliminator, making him the mandatory for Terence Crawford’s IBF title. Crawford isn’t expected to fight him, and there’s no reason for Pacheco to go anywhere near it.
Money changes everything
Estephan can criticize how Pacheco looked against Sadjo all he wants, but it sounds like a promoter looking for someone to fight his guy. If the money isn’t big, it doesn’t happen.
“Maybe Pacheco? Lester Martinez declared himself unavailable … I know Pacheco just got pinned by Sadjo, and it was ugly, but do you want to see Iglesias vs. Pacheco?” Estephan continued X.
It comes off that Iglesias needs someone to fight, not Pacheco who has something to prove, which is why this matchup feels unlikely to go beyond a suggestion on social media.
