Diego Pacheco and Maciej Sulecki pose at the weigh-in before the Matchroom Boxing card at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. Photo credit: Melina Pizano/Matchroom.
Diego Pacheco made changes this past training camp to better distribute weight across his 6’4” frame.
The results were evident on the scale, as the undefeated prospect checked in at a chiseled 168 pounds. Maciej Sulecki of Poland was under the division limit at 167.4 pounds for their scheduled 12-round contest.
The bout headlines a five-fight DAZN broadcast this Saturday from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
Both fighters were respectful of the other throughout fight week. However, their last stare down lasted almost a full minute before Sulecki nodded and calmly stepped back.
Pacheco (21-0, 17 KOs) was born and raised nearby in Los Angeles’ South Central region. The event is his second local headlining role in less than ten months. He topped a DAZN bill last November 18 in nearby Inglewood, where he stopped former title challenger Marcelo Coceres.
The knockout streak ended for Pacheco in his ten round points victory over Shawn McCalman (15-1, 10 KOs) this past April 6 in Las Vegas. Pacheco is currently ranked as The Ring’s no. 4 super middleweight.
Sulecki (32-2, 12 KOs) has only lost at the top level and in his opponent’s hometown. He dropped a twelve-round decision to Daniel Jacobs in their April 2018 WBA title eliminator. His only title bid was significantly less competitive, as he was knocked out by then-undefeated WBO middleweight titleholder Demetrius Andrade 14 months later in Providence, Rhode Island.
Four wins have followed since then for the 35-year-old contender who is hitting the road again.
Eduardo ‘Sugar’ Nunez (27-1, 27 KOs) took a fight above the junior lightweight limit as he is owed an IBF title shot. The Ring’s no. 8-ranked 130-pounder from Los Mochis, Mexico was 133 pounds, while Colombia’s Miguel Marriaga (31-7, 26 KOs) was 131.8 pounds. Their scheduled ten-round contest is the night’s main support.
Nunez is the current mandatory challenger for IBF junior lightweight titleholder Anthony Cacace (22-1, 8 KOs).
DAZN main undercard, 8pm ET/5pm PT
Arturo Cardenas (14-0-1, 8 KOs), Sahuayo de Morelos, Mexico, 121.2 lbs
Jesus Arechiga (21-1, 15 KOs), Mazatlan, Mexico, 122 lbs
10 rounds, junior featherweight
Cheavon Clarke (9-0, 7 KOs), Gravesend, England, 199.8 lbs
Efetobor Apochi (12-2, 12 KOs), Houston, Texas via Ughelli, Nigeria, 199.2 pounds
10 rounds, cruiserweight
Adelaida Ruiz (16-0-1, 8 KOs), Los Angeles, 113.6 lbs.
Ginny Fuchs (3-0, 1 KO), Houston, 114.4 lbs
10 rounds, for Ruiz’s interim WBC junior bantamweight
DAZN Preliminary Undercard, 5:30 PM ET/2:30 PM PT
Fabian Rojo (9-0, 7 KOs), Phoenix, Arizona, 145.8 lbs
Alejandro Frias (15-10-2, 7 KOs), Tepic, Mexico, 146.4 lbs
6 rounds, welterweight
Criztec Bazaldua (5-0, 1 KO), Los Angeles, 140 lbs
Kyle Erwin (7-2, 3 KOs), Oceanside, Calif., 140.8 lbs
6 rounds, lightweight
Alexander Gueche (5-0, 5 KOs), Long Beach, Calif., 115.6 lbs
David Vargas (8-4-2, 5 KOs), Gomez Palacio, Mexico, 116 lbs
6 rounds, junior bantamweight