Matchroom Boxing return to Liverpool on Saturday as top super-middleweight prospect Diego Pacheco (17-0-0, 14KOs) makes his UK debut against Britain’s Jack Cullen (21-3-1, 9KOs).
The card was initially headlined by light-heavyweight Callum Smith‘s clash against Pawel Stepien before a training injury to the former forced him to pull out two weeks out from fight night.
California’s Pacheco stands out as one of the sport’s brightest up and coming prospects.
The 22-year-old turned professional in Mexico at the age of 17 before signing with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom in 2018.
“He [Hearn] believes in me and a lot of other people believe in me like I believe in myself”, Pacheco said.
“That put together with my hard work and my god-given talents, I don’t see anyone stopping me.”
Little Lever’s Cullen meanwhile returned from a 2021 defeat to Kevin Lele Sadjo for the European title with a comfortable eight-round points victory eleven months ago.
The 29-year-old described the Pacheco fight as his equivalent of a world title shot as he bids to land one of the standout upsets of 2023 so far.
“Things happen for a reason and on Saturday night it’s my time to shine”, said Cullen.
“He’ll be coming over with a chip on his shoulder which is good for the fans, good for me and everyone who’s there. I’ve never been in a boring fight.”
Liverpool super-lightweight Robbie Davies Jr (23-3-0, 15KOs) co-headlines the card this weekend as he takes on late replacement Darragh Foley (21-4-1, 9KOs) in a ten-round encounter.
Davies Jr was initially set to face Liam Paro before the Australian withdrew after suffering a fracture to his face during the build-up.
Ireland’s Foley, who bases himself out of Australia, stepped in to take on the Liverpudlian at short notice knowing victory this weekend would prove by far the biggest of his career so far.
Tokyo 2020 Olympian Peter McGrail (6-0-0, 5KOs) also fights for the first time since penning a promotional deal with Hearn and Matchroom this month.
The 26-year-old super-bantamweight faces Argentina’s Nicolas Nahuel Botelli over ten rounds in his home city on Saturday in just his seventh professional outing.
McGrail enjoyed an illustrious career in the amateur code and looks to replicate that success in the paid ranks, with Hearn describing the Liverpudlian as one of the sport’s “brightest prospects” in fight week.
Romford’s popular heavyweight Johnny Fisher (7-0-0, 6KOs) also features in his first eight-round fight against Italian Alfonso Damiani (6-2-0, 2KOs).
Warrington lightweight Rhiannon Dixon (7-0-0) contests for her first major belt as she takes on Wombourne’s Vicky Wilkinson (5-0-1) for the vacant Commonwealth title.
Lightweights Aqib Fiaz (10-0-0) and Campbell Hatton (9-0-0, 3KOs) also appear on the card as their professional developments continue.
FULL CARD:
- Diego Pacheco vs Jack Cullen – Super-Middleweight (10 x 3)
- Robbie Davies Jr vs Darragh Foley – Super-Lightweight (10 x 3)
- Rhiannon Dixon vs Vicky Wilkinson – Lightweight (10 x 2)
- Peter McGrail vs Nicolas Nahuel Botelli – Super-Bantamweight (10 x 3)
- Johnny Fisher vs Alfonso Damiani – Heavyweight (8 x 3)
- Aqib Fiaz vs Dean Dodge – Lightweight – (8 x 3)
- Paddy Lacey vs James McCarthy – Middleweight (6 x 3)
- George Liddard vs Daniel Przewieslik – Middleweight (4 x 3)
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