Diego Pacheco vs. Kevin Lele Sadjo | DAZN - December 13, 2025

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Diego Pacheco, Tito Mercado return December 13 in California

Matchroom Boxing’s calendar for the end of the year is beginning to take shape.

Eddie Hearn told The Ring that the UK-based company will return to the United States on December 13.

“That will be on the West Coast and it will be another big card,” said Hearn. “Diego Pacheco will fight on that card. There will be some world championship fights on there and some of our other top talent. We are ending the year very strong, and I think you will see our best schedule ever starting in 2026.”

A source informed of Matchroom’s plans told The Ring that the event is slated to land in California, with either Los Angeles or Stockton as the location.

Matchroom last held a show in California on August 2024 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson. Pacheco, who’s born and raised in Los Angeles, headlined the event and scored a sixth-round knockout against Maciej Sulecki.

Pacheco (24-0, 18 KOs) has fought twice since, scoring a unanimous decision against Steven Nelson in January and a unanimous decision against Trevor McCumby in July.

Also set to be featured on the card is Ernesto “Tito” Mercado, a 23-year-old knockout artist from Pomona, California. Mercado (17-0, 16 KOs) told The Ring that he’s preparing to fight on this card against an opponent still to be determined.

Mercado made his Matchroom debut in January by knocking out former titleholder Jose Pedraza in just four rounds. He was supposed to return in June but pulled out of his planned fight after an injury before fight week.

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Diego Pacheco splits with trainer-manager Jose Benavidez Snr

Diego Pacheco has split with his longtime trainer and manager, Jose Benavidez Snr., BS learned Monday.

Benavidez, currently in camp with his WBC light heavyweight titleholder son David Benavidez, said Pacheco requested the release with at least two bouts remaining in their alliance, and Benavidez Snr granted it.

“He decided to go a different route. I want the best for him. I think he can be a champion, no problem,” Benavidez said. “He has a lot of talent. I am so thankful and happy to have been with him from when he started to where he is now, ranked No. 1 [recently, though no longer] and ready to fight for a world title. That makes me very satisfied – that I could help get him to that point in his career.”

Benavidez said there was no buyout required for Pacheco to leave, and he believes the unbeaten super middleweight contender is preparing for a December 13 card in California for promoter Matchroom Boxing.

“I only have great things to say about him,” Benavidez said. “I am still a fan. I will still be a supporter. I’m happy for his career.”

Pacheco, 24-0 (18 KOs), is a 24-year-old from South Central Los Angeles. He fought twice this year under Benavidez, claiming unanimous decision triumphs over Steven Nelson in January and Trevor McCumby in July.

Pacheco was the WBO’s top-ranked contender to Canelo Alvarez until Hamzah Sheeraz arrived in the division and stopped Edgar Berlanga. The WBO rankings now have the since-deposed Canelo at No. 1, Sheeraz at No. 2 and Pacheco at No. 3.

Pacheco has yet to formally announce his new manager and trainer.

“Nice kid, great father, great husband,” Benavidez said. “It was a great trip.”

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DIEGO PACHECO-KEVIN LELE SADJO HEADLINES MATCHROOM'S DEC. 13 SHOW

Diego Pacheco's final test before a potential world title shot could prove to be his toughest.

Pacheco will make his third appearance of the calendar year when facing fellow undefeated super middleweight contender Kevin Lele Sadjo on December 13 at the Adventist Health Arena in Stockton, California, to be streamed worldwide on DAZN.

The headline attraction in two months' time was announced during DAZN's broadcast of Jaron Ennis' first-round stoppage win over Uisma Lima overnight.

Los Angeles' Pacheco (24-0, 18 KOs) is coming off a one-sided unanimous decision victory over Trevor McCumby on July 19 and will have at least one new voice in the corner, having last week split from longtime trainer/manager Jose Benavidez Sr.

The towering 6-foot-4 Pacheco is ranked No. 3 by the WBO, No. 8 by the WBC, No. 9 by the WBA and No. 13 by the IBF and The Ring's No. 5-rated 168-pound contender.

The 24-year-old easily represents the biggest name and a career-toughest challenge for Sadjo. The Cameroon-born Frenchman enters their main event clash on the heels of a fourth-round stoppage of Martin Ezequiel Bulacio on Aug. 28. Sadjo (26-0, 23 KOs) has won three straight fights by stoppage and nine of his last 10 inside the distance.

Like Pacheco, the 35-year-old is also well-represented among the sanctioning bodies’ rankings. He's ranked No. 8 by the WBO, No. 10 by the WBC and No. 11 by the IBF but doesn't currently feature in The Ring's top-10 divisional ratings.

Exciting junior welterweight prospect Ernesto Mercado (17-0, 16 KOs) and junior lightweight contender Gabriel Flores Jr. (27-2, 8 KOs) will also feature on the undercard against opponents to be named later.

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Diego Pacheco-Kevin Lele Sadjo tops December 13 DAZN show

Diego Pacheco is serious about his desire to take over the super middleweight division.

A dangerous assignment awaits the rising contender, who will take on Kevin Lele Sadjo. The matchup between unbeaten 168lbs contenders will headline a December 13 DAZN show from Adventist Health Arena in Stockton, California.

Matchroom Boxing confirmed the event on Saturday. The card will also feature Boxing Scene’s 2024 Prospect of the Year Ernesto “Tito” Mercado, who has hit a run of bad luck with opponents falling through. An opponent was not yet named for the 23-year-old 140lbs Mercado, from Pomona, California.

Key to the fight taking place at this location is the addition of Stockton’s own Gabriel Flores Jnr, a resurgent lightweight contender with a huge following in the region. The 25-year-old Flores’ presence on the undercard figures to help fill the 12,000-seat venue, where he will appear for the fifth time.

The fight will mark the third of the year for the 24-year-old Pacheco, 24-0 (18 KOs), who went the 12-round distance in each of his previous two appearances. Pacheco outpointed unbeaten Steven Nelson atop a January 25 DAZN card from The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas the first time he was extended beyond the 10th round.

That feat was matched in his most recent outing, a lopsided decision over Trevor McCumby on July 19 from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Pacheco entered the fight under the guidance of Jose Benavidez Snr, with whom he had trained since 2022.

As previously reported by Boxing Scene’s Lance Pugmire, Pacheco and Benavidez have since gone their separate ways after an amicable split. A new trainer was not yet publicly confirmed as this story goes to publication.

Sadjo, 26-0 (23 KOs), will be making his stateside debut against Pacheco. A well-traveled 35-year-old Cameroonian Frenchman, Sadjo has fought largely in France, with stops in England, Belgium, Central Africa and the Bahamas through his perfect run as a pro.

Unfortunately, the best moments of Sadjo’s career thus far are better known for who wouldn’t fight him rather than who he has defeated. He was due to face Christian Mbilli in an IBF title eliminator in May. However, Mbilli was pulled from the fight by Eye of the Tiger Management, his promoter, which claimed Sadjo’s team violated the terms of the purse bid agreement that would have brought their fight to Paris.

Sadjo instead faced and defeated Habib Ahmed via third-round knockout in Equatorial Guinea. He followed the win with a fourth-round stoppage of overmatched Martin Ezequiel Bulacio on August 28 in Enghein, France. The win was his third straight inside the distance and ninth within his past 10 fights.

Stakes for the fight were not yet determined. Pacheco is ranked in the top 15 of all four sanctioning bodies. It is not yet certain what the next steps are for newly crowned undisputed champion Terence “Bud” Crawford, or if he even plans to fight again after a legacy-defining win over Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.

That level of uncertainty should make it easier for Matchroom, on behalf of Pacheco, to leverage a sanctioning body to recognize the fight as at least a final eliminator, or even an interim title fight with the WBO. Pacheco is No. 3 with the organization, while Sadjo is No. 8.

[MPW]

I like this one as a barometer for both fighters. Who's going to step up? Pacheco has kind of been treading water recently, while Sadjo has been tearing up Euro-level competition.

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JOE CORDINA TO FACE GABRIEL FLORES JR. ON DEC. 13 ON PACHECO-SADJO UNDERCARD

Gabriel Flores Jr. will take on former world champion Joe Cordina in Stockton, California on December 13.

The 25-year-old Flores (27-2, 8 KOs) had been scheduled to box on the card in his hometown, but he was awaiting an opponent. Eddie Hearn, the show’s promoter, told The Ring on Friday that the lightweight clash between Flores and Cordina has been signed and sealed.

DAZN will stream the card headlined by super middleweight contenders Diego Pacheco (24-0, 18 KOs) and Kevin Lele Sadjo (26-0, 23 KOs).

Wales’ Cordina (18-1, 9 KOs) suffered the first defeat of his career to underdog Anthony Cacace in May 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which cost him his IBF junior lightweight title.

Cordina returned to the ring 14 months later, marking his first fight up at lightweight by outpointing Jaret Gonzalez Quiroz on Matchroom’s show July 5 in Manchester, England. It was enough to earn him rankings with the WBO (6), WBC (10) and IBF (14) at the new weight.

A victory over Flores, ranked at No. 4 by the WBO, will nudge him closer to a world title shot at 135 pounds.

Flores is on a six-fight winning streak since his one-sided decision defeat to Giovanni Cabrera in July 2022.

He has boxed twice so far this year, registering points wins against Jose Arellano and Christian Villanova Arriola. Cordina represents the toughest test of his career to date.

[margaret thatcher]

good fight

[Evander]

Any interest in this fight ?
Diego Pacheco 24-0 [18 KO's] puts it on the line against also unbeaten 26-0 Kevin Lele Sadjo in Stockton, California at 168.
Pacheco is very tall and will have a considerable reach advantage over Sadjo I'd imagine, watched a few of Pacheco's fights recently and he's a pretty steady boxer.
Lele has 23 stoppages in his 26 wins and fought mainly in Europe for most of his career, but at 35 years old to Pacheco's 24 years and boxing on the road I lean toward Pacheco, but you never know.

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Already a thread on this..

[Evander]

Joe Cordina fight on the undercard looks interesting, getting Cacace back in the ring should be near the top of his list.
Flores lack of firepower might be his undoing if his boxing ability isn't up to scratch against Cordina.

[Evander]

Sadjo looks like more of a brawler type, doesn't appear to have much of a ground game and relies on trench warfare head down wild swinging style.
If he doesn't get enough time inside where he has to do it, because of the height and reach advantage, it could be a long night for him.
He could be the entertaining type and mix it up enough to make it watchable though.

[2250252]

Any interest in this fight ?
Diego Pacheco 24-0 [18 KO's] puts it on the line against also unbeaten 26-0 Kevin Lele Sadjo in Stockton, California at 168.
Pacheco is very tall and will have a considerable reach advantage over Sadjo I'd imagine block blast, watched a few of Pacheco's fights recently and he's a pretty steady boxer.
Lele has 23 stoppages in his 26 wins and fought mainly in Europe for most of his career, but at 35 years old to Pacheco's 24 years and boxing on the road I lean toward Pacheco, but you never know.

The big question for me is how Pacheco handles real pressure over the full distance. If Sadjo can cut the ring and make it ugly, this might get way closer than people think.

[MPW]

While both have had only success in the ring, I feel Pacheco has faced better competition, while Sadjo comes in as somewhat of a wildcard. This could end up being a bout of attrition to determine which fighter can handle the others power. I lean towards Pacheco weathering the storm better and taking a hard-earned victory but wouldn't be completely shocked if Sadjo won the fight.

[Evander]

It could be about Diego's physical advantages.
Sadjo still has to cut the distance down and be effective when he gets there, but counting Pacheco's chin and relative freshness of age and wear and tear so far it's going to take some effort.
Kevin has enough hustle in him due to his wild swinging home run hooks should they land, if he catches Pacheco firm and has enough follow up, then it's possible he could pull it off.

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Fight week!!

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Joe Cordina now looking to secure family's future in final stage of his career

Former IBF junior lightweight titleholder Joe Cordina will take the next step in his quest to become a two-weight world champion when he faces Gabriel Flores Jr. in the American’s hometown of Stockton, California, on Saturday.

The Welshman isn't unduly concerned about fighting on the road against an opponent who is revitalized and on a six-fight win streak.

"That could give him a little bit of confidence, [but they're] nowhere near the level I've been at or as good as me," Cordina (18-1, 9 KOs) told The Ring. "When the first punch is thrown, he'll soon realize it's a different calibre in there with him.

"He could say the same about me, but I've been at the level he's lost at, and I've been there a long time. We'll see on the night."

Cordina-Flores will be the co-feature to Diego Pacheco-Kevin Sadjo on DAZN beginning at 8p.m. ET/ 1 a.m. GMT

Initially, it looked like the recently turned 34-year-old may be returning to one of his familiar haunts in Monte Carlo, where he has twice fought previously, before the fight landed in the US.

"It's a change in scenery for me over in America - I don't mind," he said. "I've seen him fight before against Luis Alberto Lopez, so I've got a little bit of an idea how to beat him, it may have changed a little bit.

"Sometimes when things become difficult, they revert to what they know. I think if I get on top of him, he's going to have a hard night."

Cordina is now back up at lightweight where his early career took place.

However, after winning British and Commonwealth titles, he elected to drop to junior lightweight and after getting the opportunity to fight for the IBF title he scored a scintillating knockout over Kenichi Ogawa (KO 2) in June 2022.
Unfortunately, a hand injury saw him saw him stripped of his title before he had the chance to defend it. He returned 10 months later to edge past teak-tough Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov (SD 12) to regain his old belt.

After one defense against unheralded Edward Vazquez (MD 12) in Monte Carlo in November 2023, he surprisingly lost to Anthony Cacace (TKO 8) on the undercard of Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk in Riyadh in May 2024. After that he spent 14 months on the sidelines.

"When I had that conversation with Eddie, he said, 'Why didn't we have this conversation sooner? And you could have been straight out.' I don't know, I said, 'I wish I would have,'" Cordina lamented. "But unfortunately, I wasn't in control of my career at the point, my contract was up. Now, I'm self-managed, and can do my own thing, and my career is running smooth."

In the midst of that time off, a shot at Shakur Stevenson’s WBC lightweight title came about and fell out when the defending champion injured his hand. Cordina waited and the call didn’t come again.

That prompted him to control what he can control and move forwards with his career, which was kick-started against Jaret Gonzalez (UD 10) in July.

"The reason I picked him, they sent me about four or five opponents, some of them were unbeaten but no knockouts, I want a bit of fear because if I don't fear them there could be a slip up, so at least I'll be switched on," he explained. "There was no video of him, so I was going in blind.

"But for a Mexican to have that many knockouts, I was thinking, 'He's going to come forward.' He didn't he did exactly the opposite, he went on the back foot and started trying to box and trying to swing the odd one in. He's a very good fighter. If he came over here and fought some of the prospects over here, he'd beat most of them.

"After the first two rounds, I thought, 'I made a mistake here.' But I'm experienced and we got around it, after maybe three or four rounds it was a piece of piss. It was just unfamiliar for me being 14 months out of the ring. It felt like I was starting again.

Regardless, Cordina is positioning himself for a shot at recently minted WBO titleholder Abdullah Mason, who won the title by beating Sam Noakes in an exciting fight in Riyadh on Ring IV last month but first has to take care of Flores.

"[Flores] has got a bit more about him but it's not so much a step up, I needed to be back out," he said of looking to build momentum. "I'm not getting any younger, I'm 34, I need to wrack them up.

"Everything I wanted to do in the sport I've done. I've ticked them all off. Now I've got to set more goals otherwise there's no ambition there. It's solely to become a two-weight world champion and secure my family and that's all there is to it."

Flores (27-2, 8 KOs) turned professional at 17, in 2017. He became something of a popular local attraction and ran his record to 20-0. However, he lost his unbeaten record to unheralded future world champion Luis Alberto Lopez (UD 10) in September 2021.

The now 25-year-old rebounded with a narrow win over Abraham Montoya (MD 10) before suffering a loss to Giovanni Cabrera (UD 10) in July 2022. Since then, he has reeled off six wins over middling opposition in his homestead of northern California.

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Joe Cordina embraces US debut: ‘I’m here to turn up, f*** s*** up and bounce’

Joe Cordina has much grander plans for his time in the lightweight division.

As far as his US debut on Saturday, though, his agenda isn’t particularly extensive beyond defeating local favorite Gabriel Flores Jnr.

“We’re here to turn up, fornicate shit up and bounce,” Cordina told Boxing Scene.

Cordina, a former two-time IBF 130lbs, is all business as he heads into his WBO 135lbs title eliminator with Flores. Their scheduled 12-round contest is part of a DAZN show that takes place from the Stockton Arena in Flores’ hometown of Stockton, California.

The show is headlined by a battle between super-middleweight contenders Diego Pacheco and Kevin Lele Sadjo.

As for this bout, conceding regional advantage to his opponent was not at all a concern to Wales’ Cordina, 18-1 (9 KOs).

The opportunity represents the type of means to an end he seeks moving forward, rather than getting in the ring solely for the sake of taking a fight. While he won’t outright become the mandatory challenger, a victory on Saturday will leave Cordina in a favorable position to challenge newly crowned WBO 135lbs titlist Abdullah Mason, 20-0 (17 KOs).

Having just celebrated his 34th birthday on Monday, the goal moving forward is to make every move count.

“We’re on the verge of fighting for the world title – this is the route I want to go,” stated Cordina. “From now on, if a fight takes me off the path of fighting for a world title, then it don’t interest me. As long as it keeps me on a path to win a world title, I’m happy.”

Saturday will mark Cordina’s second straight at lightweight since his return to the division earlier in 2025. Nine of his first 10 pro fights came in the 135lbs division before he dropped down to junior lightweight, where he twice claimed the IBF 130lbs title.

A broken hand, and a lengthy ring absence because of it, ended his first reign. He regained his old belt in a split decision win over Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov at home in Cardiff in April 2023.

Just one successful defense followed before he suffered an eighth-round stoppage defeat by Northern Ireland’s Anthony Cacace in May 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Cordina already knew going into that fight that he was on borrowed time at 130lbs.

As much was shown in his planned next fight, when he was prepared to jump straight into the fire with a challenge of WBC lightweight titlist Shakur Stevenson. They were due to meet that October on a Riyadh Season show, only for Stevenson to withdraw through injury.

That development left Cordina out of the ring for a more than a year – and for several months without a promoter of record after his contract expired with Matchroom. The two rejoined forces earlier this summer, complete with Cordina’s official return to lightweight where he soundly defeated Jaret Gonzalez over 10 rounds in July in Manchester, England.

“Three fights ago, we wanted to move up,” said Cordina. “I didn’t and we paid the price for it. We’re here now, though. And we’re prepared to make the big fights; get this place back to the best fighting the best. It’s not happening enough in this division.”

That’s a culture that Cordina hopes to change, beginning with a victory over Flores, 25-2 (8 KOs), who’s won six in a row.

“Shakur has a big fight coming up with Teofimo Lopez, but that’s at [140lbs]," he said. "So, who knows if he comes back. Then you have [WBA 135lbs titlist] Gervonta Davis, nobody knows what’s going on there, if he’ll even fight again.

“So, that’s the two biggest names and those two belts being tied up. When you get everyone in a logjam just fighting for that one belt that’s available, that’s when things really slow down. We have to get away from that, and I believe with this division about to become wide open that I can be the one to lead it.”

With a win, the next logical move would be for Cordina to call for a showdown with Mason, who is in the voluntary stage of his new reign. The politician in Eddie Hearn will, naturally, call for an immediate showdown and perhaps even file a petition with the WBO to order the fight.

The other remaining belt at the weight belongs to Raymond Muratalla, 23-0 (17 KOs), the IBF titlist who next defends against mandatory challenger Andy Cruz, 6-0 (3 KOs) on January 24. Cruz is also with Matchroom, who is the lead promoter for that DAZN event.

A changing of the guard there instantly provides another avenue for Cordina to explore.

“That’s when the excitement happens, when the fans start buzzing,” Cordina said. “You get the best of the best willing to fight each other, and you prove to the world who the number one [fighter] is – that’s what the sport misses out on so many times.

“I don’t just want to win another world title, I want to win all the titles and be known as the best. It wasn’t happening for a long time [at 135lbs], or when I was at [130lbs], no matter how hard we tried to get those other guys in the ring. Now that I’m back where I belong, I’m not going to let anyone waste my time. Straight to business, every fight is a big fight.”

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Diego Pacheco Expects Sadjo's 'Crazy' Style Will Lead To First KO of 2025

Diego Pacheco isn’t impressed by Kevin Lele Sadjo’s list of conquests.

Pacheco considers Sadjo’s knockout ratio deceiving, however, because he's beaten low-level opposition, particularly for a 35-year-old fighter who has held the EBU super middleweight title.

Ten of the first 11 fighters Sadjo (26-0, 23 KOs) defeated had losing records. Three of his five most recent victories came against opponents who had at least nine losses.

Pacheco, 24, will be the first undefeated fighter Sadjo will face when they square off Saturday night in a 12-round main event DAZN will stream from Adventist Health Arena in Stockton, California (8 p.m. ET; 5 p.m. PT).

Sadjo’s lack of experience against credible contenders notwithstanding, Pacheco expects him to come to fight much more than Trevor McCumby did July 19. Pacheco barely lost a round in defeating a reluctant McCumby by unanimous decision, 120-108, 119-109 and 119-109 on the cards.

“I think Kevin Lele Sadjo will really come to win, really come throwing punches, and that’s what’s gonna open him up to be able to get a knockout,” Pacheco told The Ring. “I do believe that Sadjo is more of a crazy fighter [than McCumby], where he’s not thinking too much about what he can run into and he’s just coming forward.

“He’s a fighter who fights on a downhill, so I expect him to just keep coming forward. And honestly, I have a surprise for him. I think he’s gonna see a completely different Diego Pacheco this fight, one that they’re not expecting for sure.”

Los Angeles’ Pacheco (24-0, 18 KOs) is the WBO’s third-rated contender for Terence Crawford’s title. Sadjo, who has resided and trained in France for many years, is ranked eighth by the WBO, though Pacheco isn’t quite sure how.

“When I first took a look at his BoxRec, I was a little surprised a guy his age was still fighting that level of competition,” Pacheco said. “It’ll be a big step up for him. It’s a bigger step up for him than it is for me, considering the guys I’ve fought recently. But obviously, I’m not looking past him or taking him lightly at all. He’s a good fighter with a lot of power and a lot of knockouts.

“But I do notice that he’s knocking out the guys who are standing right in front of him and we all know that I don’t stand in front of anybody. I box and I use my jab very well, and that’s what I plan on doing this fight as well.”

An inability for various reasons to land the types of fights he wants has frustrated Pacheco, ranked fifth in The Ring’s top 10. He hopes, however, to punctuate 2025 by producing an impressive knockout after going the 12-round distance with McCumby (28-2, 21 KOs) and Steven Nelson (20-2, 16 KOs) in two fights this year.

“I consider myself a knockout artist,” Pacheco said. “And I consider myself to be one of the hardest punchers in the division, so to have no knockouts this year is crazy to me. So, I would love to get a knockout December 13th. I’ve learned that when you go looking for the knockout, it usually doesn’t come. So, I’m just gonna do what I do, box, dominate and I think the knockout will come.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Diego Pacheco aims to etch new identity after parting from Team Benavidez

Diego Pacheco is looking to close the calendar year with a crushing KO.

After workmanlike unanimous decision wins against Steven Nelson in January and Trevor McCumby in July, Pacheco (24-0, 18 KOs) is promising a stoppage win against Kevin Lele Sadjo (26-0, 23 KOs) on Saturday.

The super middleweight matchup will headline a Matchroom Boxing card on DAZN at the Adventist Health Arena in Stockton, California.

“I am going to make this fight look easy, and I am going to get him out of there, for sure,” Pacheco promised on “Inside The Ring.”

“I'm going to use my God-given abilities to my advantage. I have great boxing abilities, and I'm very athletic for a guy who is 6-foot-4. I have everything you need to become a world champion. I am very successful when I use my jab and stick to it. I like working on the inside and working the body with uppercuts. That's how I break down my opponents."

Pacheco, The Ring’s No. 5-rated fighter at 168 pounds, is looking to turn the corner of his career and level up heading into his 25th birthday in 2026. The Los Angeles native moved back home after a stretch in Seattle training with Jose Benavidez Sr. and alongside WBC light heavyweight champion David Benavidez. Pacheco said he enjoyed thousands of rounds of sparring with Benavidez, but believed it was time to etch his own identity.

“I felt like my time up there was done, and that it was time for me to start my own team,” said Pacheco. “I learned a lot from them and am grateful for the opportunities.”

Pacheco has handed the coaching keys of his career to Omar Villanueva, a trainer he’s very familiar with.

Villanueva has worked with Pacheco for over 10 years, dating back to his days as an amateur fighter, and was also an assistant working with Benavidez Sr. in recent years.

“Diego is at the highest level of the sport right now,” Villanueva told The Ring. “My job is not to change him but to add to his already-built skillset and remind him what his best tools are, and add a smart game plan that will showcase his diverse skillset.”

With a new corner in store, Pacheco is supposed to look more seasoned in order to steamroll Sadjo, a 35-year-old from Cameroon without a significant win on his resume.

A better-looking performance against Sadjo should set up Pacheco for a more notable name next year.

“I am down to fight Christian Mbilli and Lester Martinez,” said Pacheco. “I would also like to fight Jaime Munguia, Hamzah Sheeraz, and obviously, Canelo Alvarez. Those are the fights that can make me a superstar.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Diego Pacheco is back in L.A. and set to debut a new Team Pacheco

Diego Pacheco recently returned home to Los Angeles for his training camp, where he was reminded of all sorts of familiar sights.

Pacheco will face Kevin Lele Sadjo in a 12-round super middleweight bout in the main event on Saturday’s card at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton, California.

Pacheco, 24-0 (18 KOs), will be trying to cap off a 2025 that saw him enter the top 10 of three of the four major sanctioning bodies. A 24-year-old who until recently had been working under Jose Benavidez Snr in the Seattle area, Pacheco will be facing a style he knows all too well.

“I grew up in Los Angeles, California, and I boxed in Mexico a lot,” Pacheco told BS. “The style that he brings is the style I have seen since I was a kid, and basically made me the boxer I am today.”

You will see some new and old faces in Pacheco’s corner Saturday. After training with Omar Villanueva early in his career, Pacheco left to train with Benavidez in 2022. In October, BS reported Pacheco had split ties with Benavidez, and he has since returned to working with Villanueva. The Sadjo fight will mark the debut of his newly formed team.

“I decided it was time for me to make my own team, Team Pacheco,” he said. “What better than to go back to the people who have known me since I was a kid? They know what I am good at and what I need to work on. That is what they are doing, and they focused 100 percent on me.”

Pacheco’s style is a blend of American and Mexican boxing. He has the ability (and length) to box on the outside and use angles, but he can also fight on the inside when needed. His versatility has seen him record unanimous decision victories over Steven Nelson in January and Trevor McCumby in July. Both fights were won behind his jab as he got full extension on his reach.

“I feel like composure is probably my best attribute – and my patience,” Pacheco said. “Even when I do get hit with a punch, I am able to stick to a game plan and do what I have to do.”

Pacheco also credits being around older people at a young age with helping learn patience at a young age. He was given heightened responsibilities at a young age, which he believes made him more mature, both inside and outside of the ring.

“I just feel like I am an old soul,” Pacheco said. “At 13 and 14, I was traveling on my own to national tournaments.”

Sadjo, 26-0 (23 KOs), is an unbeaten fighter from Cameroon who now resides in Creteil, Val-de-Marne, France. Sadjo, 35, burst onto the scene with a win over Jack Cullen in 2021 – a fight that displayed his physicality.

Pacheco believes this will be another good win that vaults him into a position for a big year in 2026.

“If you look at my BoxRec [boxing record], there are a lot of guys with good records on there,” Pacheco said. “You see what I do to them. I take care of business. I control fights. Most of the guys get knocked out. Sadjo is a good fighter, undefeated, with a lot of knockouts. It will be another great name and another great knockout under my belt.”

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Kevin Lele Sadjo knows where he stands against Diego Pacheco

Kevin Lele Sadjo is comfortable being the underdog.

Sadjo will face unbeaten super middleweight contender Diego Pacheco on Saturday at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton, California. The 12-round bout promoted by Matchroom Boxing will stream on DAZN.

Sadjo, 26-0 (23 KOs), entered a bout against Jack Cullen as a 2-to-1 underdog. By closing, he was only a slight underdog – but an underdog nonetheless. Sadjo would stop Cullen in the sixth round on that December night in 2021, helping lay another brick in his path to this very moment.

“This is the position I like,” Sadjo told Boxing Scene via a translator. “I have nothing to lose.”

Sadjo, now 35 years old, will be facing an uphill battle – almost literally. He stands 5ft 8ins and has a 68ins reach, while Pacheco, a 24-year-old from Los Angeles, stands at 6ft 4ins with a 79ins reach. Pacheco is known for fighting patiently and has a brilliant jab that keeps opponents on edge. When asked about Pacheco’s reach advantage, Sadjo of Creteil, Val-de-Marne, France, said, “Sometimes it is an advantage, and sometimes it is not.”

Sadjo mirrored Pacheco’s activity in 2025, as both fighters had fought two times before Saturday’s meeting. Pacheco, 24-0 (18 KOs), has seen his wins come atop Matchroom Boxing-promoted cards against Steven Nelson and Trevor McCumby. Sadjo, who is riding a three-fight knockout streak, has an 88 percent knockout ratio and is coming off stoppage wins over Martin Ezequiel Bulacio and Habib Ahmed.

Sadjo says he knows what he’s up against in what will be his first fight in the United States.

“It is going to be a tough fight,” Sadjo said, “and I will win.”

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press conference quotes

Diego Pacheco
“This is a lifestyle for me,” said Pacheco. “I stay in shape year-round. After my fights I never blow up in weight. I stay close to my weight and that’s just how I like to live. That’s brought me a lot of success. I’ve never had to throw on a sauna suit or kill myself to make weight. That just goes to show my discipline and my dedication to the sport. It’s just how I like to live and I feel like that’s what’s going to get me to be the best in the world.”

“I feel like the few times I haven’t been able to get the knockout was because my opponents are being to secure. They’re being too cautious and they know that if they try anything against me they’re going to get knocked out. I hope Kevin Lele Sadjo comes looking for the knockout because that’s going to be perfect for me and I know he’s a great fighter. I know he’s strong, but muscle or being strong doesn’t win fights and we all know that. Come Dec. 13, you’re going to see the best fighter in the division, Diego Pacheco, do what he does and that’s going to be the DP show. Everyone tune in and don’t miss the action.”

Kevin Lele Sadjo
“Thank you Mr. Eddie Hearn [promoter] for [the] opportunity,” said Sadjo in English before switching to French. “I’m an old man and I will show how the old man is able to fight…I’m ready for this fight and it’s such a pleasure for me to show my talent here in California.”

“This fight is not going to the distance. I will win before eight rounds. I’m well prepared [since the last] 10 weeks. The last time I fought in England, I just had only a few days to prepare [for] the fight. This time is different and I’m extremely well prepared for that and all the people watching on DAZN will see what’s going to happen on Saturday night.”

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Fight Night!