Paulie Malignaggi suggests that Diego Pacheco’s upcoming fight against Maciej Sulecki could influence his chances of facing Canelo Alvarez for the super middleweight titles. According to Malignaggi, if Pacheco appears weak in the match, Canelo might prefer to choose him as an opponent, whereas if he performs exceptionally well, he may not be selected by Canelo.
The Matchroom-promoted Pacheco, boasting a record of 21-0 with 17 knockouts, will face off against 35-year-old Sulecki, who has a record of 32-2 with 12 KOs, in a 12-round main event on August 31st at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Los Angeles. Fans can catch the fight live on DAZN starting at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Malignaggi speculates that Canelo may want to fight Pacheco before he reaches his peak, drawing comparisons to when Floyd Mayweather Jr. took on a young Canelo. Boxing analyst Tim Bradley also highlighted Pacheco’s previous fight, noting his slow start but dominant performance in the latter half against McCalman.
Pacheco is recognized as a formidable presence in the super middleweight division due to his size, power, and combination punching skills. Nevertheless, his upcoming showdown with Sulecki will be pivotal in determining whether he will be Canelo’s chosen adversary in the future.
