Diego Pacheco finally appears on the verge of an overdue world title opportunity in the super middleweight division, with Darius Fulghum likely to be his final assignment before a shot at a major belt.
Pacheco is defending the WBC silver and WBO international titles, and a match-up with WBA champion Jaime Munguia could be on the cards if he overcomes Fulghum.
Diego Pacheco v Darius Fulghum Tips Preview
Pacheco made his debut in 2018 and quickly moved through the ranks. The 25-year-old picked up the WBO international title in 2023 and added the WBC silver belt to his collection in December of 2025, and now holds top-15 rankings across all four major sanctioning bodies.
The Los Angeles-native has compiled a 26-0 record, with 19 stoppages, and was last seen securing an 11th round TKO win over Immanuwel Aleem. Pacheco has three wins over previously unbeaten opponents in his last six fights, including a points win over heavy-hitting Frenchman Kevin Lele Sadjo.
Fulghum is the clear underdog and this is his toughest challenge to date by some distance. The highlight on his record is perhaps a fourth round stoppage of the 22-2-2 Winfred Harris Jr. That win saw DFG move to 14-0 but he has won just one of his three fights since, although he clearly carries some serious power as 13 of his victories have come inside the distance.
Fulghum’s solitary defeat came against Bektemir Melikuziev and he followed that up with a draw against David Stevens. The Houston fighter sent out a statement in his last fight, however, as he became the first man to stop Cuban Yoanki Urrutia, who was pulled out by his corner after the third round.
Diego Pacheco v Darius Fulghum - Tale of the Tape
Diego Pacheco | Darius Fulghum | |
Record: | 26-0 | 15-1-1 |
Age: | 25 | 30 |
Birthplace: | Los Angeles, California, USA | El Paso, Texas, USA |
Height: | 6' 4" | 6' 1" |
Stance: | Orthodox | Orthodox |
Last Fight: | Won (KO) Immanuwel Aleem (July 2026) | Won (KO) Yoanki Urrutia (May 2026) |
KO%: | 73.08 | 86.67 |
Alias: | N/A | DFG |
Diego Pacheco v Darius Fulghum Top Tips
Diego Pacheco to win by KO, TKO or DQ @ 13/10
Diego Pacheco to win in rounds 7-12 @ 11/4
Pacheco holds an unbeaten record and looks ready to mount a serious bid for a world title. The 25-year-old is the clear favourite at 1/11, with Fulghum a 25/4 underdog, and the best way to back Pacheco looks to be going for the knockout win.
Fulghum has never been stopped but he was sent to the canvas in his defeat to Melikuziev. Pacheco is a level above the Uzbek fighter in terms of technique and has a better stoppage rate, so he has the opportunity to carve out openings and if he does land with his biggest shots he should be able to get a win over the line without needing the judges.
Pacheco has form for stopping opponents who have never been knocked out previously as he is the first man to stop Maciej Sulecki, although Christian Mbilli has since beaten the experienced Pole inside the distance.
The favourite can win before the final bell and a knockout seems more likely to happen in the second half of the fight. Pacheco produced a composed and disciplined display in his win over Immanuwel Aleem last time out, as he systematically broke down his opponent over the course of the fight before going for the stoppage in the later rounds, eventually getting a win over the line in the 11th.
He should adopt a similar approach against Fulghum, who looks like a durable boxer. Pacheco is unlikely to take any unnecessary risks against Fulghum, who clearly carries some serious power himself, so he is more likely to launch his sustained attacks after the halfway point.
All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
