Diego Pacheco hopes to face Jaime Munguia in 2026

STOCKTON, Calif. – Diego Pacheco hopes to land a significant super middleweight showdown against Jaime Munguia next year.

Pacheco won a 12-round unanimous decision over Kevin Sadjo at the Adventist Health Arena in Stockton, California on Saturday night.

Pacheco, 25-0 (18 KOs), never sparred Munguia, but has interacted with him. In fact, Pacheco of Los Angeles stopped Terry Fernandez on a card headlined by Munguia in September 2019. Now, he hopes to share the ring with him as a pro.

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Monday | Dec 15, 2025

“I remember as an amateur kid going up to [Munguia] asking for a picture, and stuff like that,” Pacheco said in a scrum after the fight. “I feel now I am at a level where I am ready for those types of fights.”

Eddie Hearn, Pacheco’s promoter, is optimistic that the fight could occur soon for Pacheco.

“Hopefully that is the fight we can do next,” Hearn said. “It just makes so much sense, do that fight in Los Angeles. Munguia is a great fight, a great name.”

BoxingScene reported in November that Christian Mbilli could face Munguia in 2026. If those two were to fight, it could delay Pacheco's timeline for a bout against Munguia. Pacheco, 24, faced adversity as he hit the canvas for the first time as a professional, when Sadjo, 26-1 (23 KOs), knocked him down in the eighth round.

“It was a tough fight,” Pacheco said. “Just as we expected.”

Hearn left impressed with Pacheco.

“It was a really good performance; he showed something he hadn’t shown before,” Hearn said. “What I liked about it was he had him really hurt in the 11th. He actually tried to finish him in the 12th.”

Hearn equated the performance to when Jaron “Boots” Ennis rematched Karen Chukhadzhian. The bout was competitive, and Ennis’ next bout was against Eimantas Stanionis. Ennis would stop Staniosis in six rounds.

“Some people might watch that fight and say, maybe we will fight Pacheco next,” Hearn said. “He has had all the education he needs across all different styles to compete at the top level.”

For Pacheco, it was an eventful 2025 as he fought three times, defeating two unbeaten fighters in Steven Nelson and Sadjo, as well as a victory over Trevor McCumby, who had only lost to Caleb Plant. Pacheco is currently in the top-10 of three of the four major sanctioning bodies.

“I am willing to fight whoever is in the division,” Pacheco said. “After this performance, I showed I could get through adversity, get through the different styles that I have seen, and come out with the win. Results are all that matter.”