Super Middleweight: Pacheco vs. Nelson
In a thrilling super middleweight clash, Diego Pacheco secured a unanimous decision victory over Steven Nelson on Jan. 25 at The Cosmopolitan, with all judges scoring the bout 117-111. This win solidifies Pacheco’s position as the WBO’s No. 1 contender.
During the press conference, Nelson said he’s not letting this defeat stop him, and he’s still ready for big fights. He’s going back to the drawing board and will make adjustments during his training camp.
Nelson said that getting cut also affected his overall performance. When asked about how Nelson was able to “keep going” throughout the fight, he responded by saying that he’s still ready to keep going.
“I’ve been through hell man, this ain’t nothing. This is fun. This stuff right here we do man, this is nothing compared to the stuff I’ve seen. So go to the deep end, God gave me that power, that light and that energy to go, I will go,” Nelson said.
During the press conference, Pacheco said he was able to see certain things that Nelson was planning to do before Nelson was able to make contact. He also said that Nelson was a good fighter, but his (Pacheco’s) skill and game plan was better. He said he wasn’t tired in any round and could have fought even longer, despite never fighting in 12 rounds before.
“My first time headlining here in Las Vegas, it’s a dream come true for me,” Pacheco said after the fight.
Now, Pacheco’s fighting camp is ready for more big names and top five fighters, they said during the press conference. They even had some words for Berlanga, who allegedly called Pacheco out by saying he was ready to give Pacheco a big payday and a big whooping.
Pacheco responded to this comment by saying, “Edgar Berlanga, if you hear this, we can run it.”
The first round between Diego Pacheco and Steven Nelson started with an intense game of” boxing chicken.” The pair tried to figure out each other’s sweet spots of weakness. Nelson attempted to close the distance, targeting Pacheco’s body with strategic shots.
Pacheco and Nelson exchanged a few shots, but Pacheco couldn’t land a few shots, allowing Nelson to inch away. Throughout the fight, Nelson exerted a great deal of energy trying to get away from Pacheco’s reach.
Nelson was able to hit Pacheco in the seventh round. But, the game of cat and mouse ended with an exchange of body shots and sharp jabs from Pacheco to Nelson.
In the 8th round, Pacheco was ruthless with his combinations of punches. The crowd seemed to favor Pacheco throughout the fight.
Related: Live Results: Diego Pacheco vs. Steven Nelson
During the 11th and 12th rounds, Nelson seemed to come back with a few punches that visibly hurt Pacheco. In the seventh round, Nelson landed a significant punch on Pacheco. However, the momentum shifted as Pacheco responded with a series of body shots and sharp jabs.
By the eighth round, Pacheco unleashed ruthless combinations, drawing favor from the crowd.
In the eleventh and twelfth rounds, Nelson mounted a comeback, delivering punches that visibly affected Pacheco.
The fight was overall a spectacle. And Pacheco did fail to push the pace slightly, which exposed an opportunity for Nelson to hurt him with some left hooks and right hands. However, this was Pacheco’s fight through and through. The judges ruled unanimously for Pacheco with all three scoring the fight 117-111. Pacheco has defended his WBC USA belt and WBO International belt.
Pacheco vs Nelson: Undercard
Lightweight: Andy Cruz vs. Omar Salcido
Andy Cruz enters this fight with the mission to inch closer to a title. Throughout the fight, Cruz’s strong punches made contact with Salcido.
Cruz made amazing contact with Salcido throughout the night, showing his veteran status. Salcido did prove his fearlessness as he tried to close the gap between him and Cruz. However, the majority of the rounds capture Cruz pummeling into Salcido’s face, especially his chin.
During the seventh round, Cruz even switched to a southpaw and gave him a window of opportunity to smack Salcido with a right hook then another combo immediately after.
The fight between Ernesto “Tito” Mercado vs. Jose Pedraza was an exhilarating four-rond fight that ended in a knockout.
In the first round, Mercado unfurled his power boxing style. Throughout the fight, he throws a combination of different-angled punches that push Pedraza’s balance off. However, Pedraza holds a tight stance.
Despite the tight stance, Mercado tries to find openings in Pedraza’s stance. And eventually, Mercado knocks Pedraza out in the fourth round. As Pedraza stands to his feet, the reef calls the match. Mercado wins the fight.
Super lightweight: Leonardo Rubalcava and Israel Mercado
The fight started with an explosive start from Leonardo Rubalcava and Israel Mercado.
Each round was packed with relentless jabs and a few low blows exchanged between the two fighters.
Mercado unleashed a relentless barrage of fiery punches that gradually seemed to drain Rubalcava’s stamina. However, in the second and fourth rounds, Rubalcava reminded everyone of his raw power, delivering punches that demanded respect.
A few punches caught Mercado off guard, visibly shaking him up. Despite the skilled direct and counter uppercuts along with some body shots from Rubalcava, Mercado’s flurry of punches visibly affected Rubalcava in the last round. After an intense back-and-forth battle, the fight concluded in a draw.
