Diego Pacheco underlined his intentions to become a major player at Super-Middleweight, putting Manuel Gallegos away inside four rounds in Monterrey - to set up a first headline bout in Los Angeles later in the year.

Pacheco (19-0 16 KOs) promised to outbox and break Gallegos down before stopping him, and the rising star delivered all that and more in a performance that was explosive and composed in his second headline bout and becoming the first man to stop the rugged Gallegos (19-2-1 16 KOs).

Pacheco’s bodywork was particularly impressive and it paid dividends with 30 seconds left of the fourth round, sinking Gallegos to the canvas - and a brutal attack after Gallegos rose left the referee no choice but to stop the contest before the round was over.

“I’m just that guy,” said Pacheco. “I’m getting better, wiser, stronger. The opposition is getting better, but that’s just raising the level of my performance and you are going to keep seeing that. 

“It feels great to watch my brother open the show and get that opportunity, it’s amazing. The sky is the limit for us, we’re going to keep working hard, stay grounded and keep pushing until we get to where we want to be.

"I think that’s one of my best performances to date, he was a tough guy and put me under pressure from the opening round, but I knew he would do that and I was well prepared. He took some tough shots, but he couldn’t take that last body shot."

Pacheco is now scheduled to headline a card in LA before the end of the year.

“It’ll be a dream come true to headline in LA. I keep putting in the work to get things like that come my way, and for it to be happening. Every time I fight in LA the fans come out and show me love, I haven’t fought there since 2019, so I know that it will be an amazing night," Pacheco said.

"I just want everyone in the division. I’m only 22, I’ve got time to fight them all, so Eddie Hearn will line them up, so let’s get it."