Diego Pacheco halts Jack Cullen in four rounds on UK debut

Diego Pacheco demonstrated patience beyond his years as he dismantled Britain’s Jack Cullen inside four rounds on Saturday evening.

The 22 year old picked up his 15th stoppage in 18 contests atop the bill at Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena to cement his place among the sport’s brightest prospects.

Cullen started the fight well behind his jab in the opening round but Pacheco looked to have rocked the Brit in the second with a series of straight rights.

Little Lever’s Cullen responded with a strong finish to the round but momentum appeared to be swaying in favour of the Californian.

The third saw Pacheco up the pace as he let his hands to go to the head of Cullen.

The latter took the shots well as he looked to push the American back, a move which only looked to stir Pacheco on as he continued his pursuit for a stoppage.

Pacheco displayed predatory instinct as he picked up his 15th stoppage victory against Cullen on Saturday. *Photo by Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing.*

25 seconds into the fourth saw the fight’s crucial moment.

A chopping Pacheco right hand fired wide of the mark of Cullen’s head but occupied the Briton’s attention to leave the 29 year old open to the body.

A devilish left hook rattled against Cullen’s ribs, immediately dropping him to his knee with over two-and-a-half minutes still remaining in the round.

Cullen bravely climbed back to his feet but was clearly still impacted by the shot when the fight resumed.

Pacheco immediately set about the Brit, firing a stiff jab to Cullen’s head before following up with a right hand which whipped the head of Cullen back.

This kid can fight! ✨
@realdpacheco gets Cullen out of there in the fourth 🧨#PachecoCullen | @DAZNBoxing pic.twitter.com/pt0x6jEhNq
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) March 11, 2023

A second and final right floored Cullen against the ropes, leaving referee Steve Grey with little choice but to wave off the contest with 2:14 remaining in the fourth.

Darragh Foley picked up the best win of his career in the chief support, halting Robbie Davies Jr after three rounds in bizarre fashion.

A tight opening round was followed by the second which saw Davies Jr dropped and hurt by a Foley right hand in the final seconds.

Davies Jr’s legs were unsteady as he regained his footing but was saved by the bell to signal the end of the round.

Foley dropped Davies with a hard right hand in the final moments of the second round. *Photo by Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing.*

Trainer Shane McGuigan could be heard asking Davies Jr if his “ankle was alright” in between the rounds, an indication of what was to follow in the third.

Fifteen seconds in and Davies Jr was down again, although replays revealed a gruesome injury to Davies Jr’s right ankle after a fleeting jab from Foley.

The Liverpudlian fell onto his back but McGuigan, having witnessed what had transpired, immediately threw in the towel.

Davies Jr hopped on one leg as he climbed back to his feet while the celebrations began in the Foley corner.

The Irishman’s record now stands at 22-4-1, (10KOs), while Davies Jr now moves to 23-4-0, 15KOs.

The win stands out as by far the best picked up by Foley in his 27th pro contest. Photo by Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing.

Popular Essex heavyweight Johnny Fisher moved to 8-0-0 with a controversial fourth round stoppage against Italy’s Alfonso Damiani.

Fisher landed heavy blows throughout the contest but Damiani remained unnerved and never appeared hurt for as long as the fight lasted.

A big right hand whipped back the head of Damiani in the fourth however with referee Steve Gary immediately jumping in to halt the contest.

While the shot landed flush, Damiani didn’t appear hurt and could have been afforded more time to respond.

OH MY… @JohnnyFisherBox 🤯#PachecoCullen is LIVE on https://t.co/FoiaUucI53 pic.twitter.com/BulKj3ASsy
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) March 11, 2023

Liverpool super-bantamweight Peter McGrail went the full ten round distance for the first time as a pro against Argentina’s Nicolas Nahuel Botelli, winning every round on all three scorecards.

McGrail moved to 7-0-0 (5KOs) as a pro since turning over in 2021.

Warrington’s Rhiannon Dixon also claimed her first major title when she halted Wombourne’s Vicky Wilkinson inside six for the vacant Commonwealth lightweight belt.