Diego Pacheco says his god-given talent makes him stand out as the future king of the Super-Middleweights, as he prepares for the defense of his USWBC and WBO International Super-Middleweight titles against Shawn McCalman on Saturday night at BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, live worldwide on DAZN.

Pacheco (20-0 17 KOs) is as soft-spoken outside the ring as he is hard-hitting inside it, but as the 23 year old continues his unstoppable rise up the 168lb rankings, his name is increasingly mentioned alongside his fellow contenders.

The new father has always let his fists do the talking, but sitting as he does in the top five of three of the governing bodies, Pacheco knows that there are major names and fights on the horizon, providing he can see off McCalman (15-0 7 KOs) on Saturday.

“I’m one of one,” said Pacheco. “God gave me an amazing talent, amazing reach and height, abilities to move in the ring, abilities that other fighters are lacking, so my time is coming. 

“Everything is at stake on Saturday. He’s a tough, undefeated opponent but I feel amazing, I’m getting better and stronger with every fight, smarter, and I’m confident in the work we’ve put into this camp. I’m excited to be back and ready to put on a great show against another undefeated opponent and showcase why I belong here and keep doing what I have been doing which is shining, putting on great performances and showing my dominance in the ring.

“Right now, I am top five in the world so anyone in the top ten that would get me closer to the World title, that’s who I want to fight. There’s a big fight there with Edgar Berlanga, Christian Mbilli is another good fighter in the top ten, there’s Erik Bazinyan – I’d like the chance to share the ring with any of them, they’re all great fighters and that’s the only way to get to the World championships, I know that, my team knows that, and that’s what we’re ready for. I have people around me that know the business more and are experts in grooming World champions, so my job is to prepare as much as I can and hopefully these fights get made and I get to show the world what I am made of.

“He’s a good fighter, I’ve seen a few of his fights, he has some skills and some power. But I’ve seen thousands of guys like him and I just feel I’m on a way different level than he is and I’ll show that on Saturday. 

“I’ve been a power puncher since I was 12 or 13, I was always dropping guys to the body and to the head. I used to love going to the body and you guys have seen that now. I was putting on these highlight reel KOs since I was a teenager, and now I am 23 it just comes to me, I’m not forcing the knockout; I’m patient, boxing and using my distance and the knockouts just come. I frustrate my opponents by outboxing them, make them jump in or make silly mistakes and I catch onto them and make them pay. 

“Every fight gets more challenging, but I’ve stepped up and shown why I belong here. It’s because I put in the work and god gifted me a talent and I do my part, the rest is up to him, and that’s what you have been seeing, the hard work and the outcome is there.

“Shout out to Raymond Ford, that was a great fight he put on for the World championship, extremely proud and happy for him and I’m looking forward to doing the same thing. I’m very close to it, I can feel it, that next year or the year after, I will be a World champion.”

Pacheco’s clash with McCalman is part of a huge night of action, with Richardson Hitchins takes on Gustavo Lemos in a final eliminator for the IBF World Jr. Welterweight title. 

Skye Nicolson provides the World title action on the card, looking to claim a World crown at the first attempt as she meets Sarah Mahfoud for the vacant WBC Featherweight strap and British Olympic gold medal man Galal Yafai defends his WBC International Flyweight title against Agustin Mauro Gauto. 

Marc Castro gets a first title bout in his 12th pro outing, taking on Abraham Montoya for the vacant WBC Continental Americas Super-Featherweight title, Harley Mederos is in action for the sixth time in the paid ranks over six rounds against Pedro Vicente and there’s a pro debut for former Team USA talent Steven Navarro over six rounds at Super-Flyweight against Jose Lopez.