Boxing
Diego Pacheco reveals fight that can bring 'stardom' after tougher than expected win over Kevin Sadjo
Inoue vs. Picasso - December 27 - live on DAZN PPV
Diego Pacheco did not close out his year with a fireworks-filled statement victory.
In fact, at one point Saturday night, it was not even clear that he would win at all.
Still, by the end of 12 rounds, the 24-year-old rising star of a super middleweight proved a few things —that he could handle some turbulence, gut out a win when necessary and that he still needs to improve.
Pacheco rebounded from an eighth-round knockdown to secure a hard-fought unanimous decision over a bullish Kevin Lele Sadjo at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton, California, and live on DAZN. Judges scored it 117-110, 116-111 and 115-112 all in Pacheco’s favor, while DAZN News had it 116-111 for Pacheco as well.
The undefeated Pacheco (25-0, 18 KOs) started out Saturday night using his eight inches of height advantage and 11-inch reach edge to work behind the jab and control the distance against a rugged Sadjo.
Despite Pacheco banking a few rounds to start, Sadjo made it abundantly clear that he was going to get inside of the former’s reach with unrelenting pressure in the pocket.
Forcing that phone booth action finally reached paydirt for the French fighter when he uncorked a looping left hand that dropped Pacheco with a thud in the eighth round.
Still, Pacheco rose off the canvas, adjusted well during the ninth with body shots and even threatened a stoppage in the 11th behind a compact right hand that stunned Sadjo, paving the way for a barrage of punches to be unloaded.
While his Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn acknowledged Saturday night was not Pacheco’s best work, the gutsy win did build the fighter’s mettle.
“So many ticks of boxes tonight,” Hearn said of Pacheco’s performance. “He’s 24 years old. Nobody wants to fight Kevin Sadjo, he’s a nightmare, you saw that. He got dropped, he came back, he nearly stopped Sadjo at the back end of the fight. He will learn so much from that.
“I think he could be better, I think he knows that,” Hearn said, “but sometimes you gotta have nights at the office like that where you come through the other side.”
Pacheco closed out his 2025 with a third unanimous decision as he defeated Steven Nelson in January, Trevor McCumby in July and now Sadjo.
“He’s done all the apprenticeship you need, he’s ticked all the boxes,” Hearn said, “time to roll the dice in a big fight with Diego Pacheco.”
Pacheco agrees, evoking one fighter’s name, in particular.
“I think the fight that interests me the most right now is Jaime Munguia,” Pacheco told DAZN's Chris Mannix. “He’s a great fighter, a Mexican warrior and I feel like that’s the fight I’m missing right now to really get to that stardom.”
Though Pacheco circles Munguia's name, Hearn insists they are not limited to the all-action Mexican fighter, pointing out how Hamzah Sheeraz and Jermall Charlo are also options at 168.
Surviving a scare Saturday night, will Pacheco be better equipped for the next tier? The New Year will likely reveal that and more.
