Diego Pacheco (23-0, 18 KO) denied that Steven Nelson (20-1, 16 KO) was the most formidable opponent he faced during his professional career after beating him by unanimous decision in 12 rounds by a score of 117-111 x 3 Saturday night at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.
(Credit: Melina Pizano/Matchroom)
Although Pacheco didn’t name the fighters who gave him trouble, Shawn McCalman and Marcelo Coceres stand out as two he had significant issues with.
Exposed defects Nelson was a nightmare for the 23-year-old Pacheco as he stayed there until the later rounds, then came in strong in the 11th and 12th to dish out punishment. He forced Pacheco to hold these rounds frequently to neutralize attacks. Pacheco didn’t look impressive.
The two flaws that Nelson revealed to Pacheco
No inner game
Uncomfortable with pressure
Lack of Confidence: Nelson backed Pacheco throughout the fight, forcing him to give ground and hold.
The performance showed that Pacheco is vulnerable and can be beaten by fighters who put pressure and power on him. On the other hand, Nelson showed that Pacheco struggles even against non-punchers if you can attack him relentlessly.
“Anyone in the top five. I am ranked No. 1 with the WBO and top five with the other sanctioning bodies,” Diego Pacheco said during the press conference. post-fight press conference when asked who he wanted to fight next after his victory over Steven Nelson on Saturday night.
“Maybe skill-wise,” Pacheco said when asked if Steven Nelson was his toughest opponent. “I didn’t feel like I had any problems in any of the laps. Maybe in the last round, where he caught me with a few punches, and I had to tighten up a little bit. Steven Nelson showed a big heart and a great chin. But other than that, nothing else.
“I showed my skills and my game plan was much better. I felt like I never got tired on any lap. I felt like I was in control of the pace and in control of the fight. I could have gone more rounds if the fight had been longer,” Pacheco said.
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