WBO No.1 contender Diego Pacheco just secured an emphatic victory over Omaha, Nebraska’s Steven Nelson in Las Vegas. The undefeated California native looked dominant throughout the fight, proving he is among the best in the division. Now, of course, he wants bigger fights and Canelo Alvarez would be on his radar. 

However, wanting a Canelo fight is different from getting the Canelo fight. David Benavidez, the son of Pacheco’s trainer Jose Benavidez Sr. was Canelo’s mandatory challenger for over a year but he never got the opportunity to prove himself. To add insult to injury, the WBC, the sanctioning body Benavidez was mandatory for, never did anything to force the fight.

Benavidez Sr. doesn’t seem to have gotten over it yet. While appearing in the post-fight press conference for the Pacheco vs. Nelson fight, David Benavidez’s father accused Canelo of ducking his star pupil, as Canelo did to his son. In an August 2024 interview with Boxing News, Benavidez Sr. called out Canelo for demanding $200 million to fight his son, alleging it was simply a ploy for ducking his son. 

“Of course. He’s asking for $200 million. That tells you that he’s avoiding David,” Benavidez Sr. told Boxing News. With Pacheco ready to take on the big boys in the division, Benavidez Sr. has similar things to say about Canelo Alvarez. “Like I said, you know, [Pacheco is] getting stronger and stronger,” he said.

“And everybody knows that Canelo would never take a fight with Diego Pacheco. [Pacheco is] strong, rangy. He uses his jab very well, super young and he’s getting better and better. So, if Canelo’s here and [Pacheco is] ready to take that challenge. I think that would be a great fight,” Benavidez Sr. said. 

However, it appears Pacheco is wiser beyond his years, he knows it would be easier to secure a fight against another super middleweight than Canelo Alvarez. 

No Canelo Alvarez, no problem for Diego Pacheco 

Following his hard-fought victory over Steven Nelson, Diego Pacheco wasted no time calling out Edgar Berlanga, whom Canelo dismantled last September. Speaking at his post-fight press conference, Pacheco welcomed the challenge: “That’s a fight that I’ve been open to making for a long time now. Edgar Berlanga, if you’re hearing this, bro, we can run it next, whenever. Let’s get it.”

Berlanga didn’t seem against the idea, and responded on social media: “Ima get that young boy a big payday and a big a** whooping.” Berlanga and Pacheco’s promoter Eddie Hearn is equally enthusiastic, calling the Mexico vs. Puerto Rico showdown “a brilliant fight” and praising Pacheco’s rising profile.

With Berlanga scheduled to fight in March, the groundwork for this blockbuster bout is being laid. For both fighters, this potential clash represents a significant step toward super middleweight supremacy.

That said, it appears Jose Benavidez Sr. isn’t letting Canelo Alvarez do whatever he likes. Canelo should fight in May before his reported fight against Terence Crawford in September. So, who knows Pacheco might just be the one. Otherwise, the California native does have the Berlanga fight on the table. Who do you think Diego Pacheco should fight next?