The effort to fill the void left behind by Terence Crawford and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez has already proven to be a daunting task.
BoxingScene has confirmed that Diego Pacheco will no longer move forward with his previously ordered vacant WBO 168lbs title fight with Hamzah Sheeraz. A purse bid hearing that was rescheduled for Friday morning was canceled outright without a specified reason, but it has since been learned that this was due to Pacheco’s withdrawal from the process.
WBO officials are exploring next steps to determine whom England’s Sheeraz, 22-0-1 (18 KOs), will face for its vacant super middleweight title.
Pacheco is coming off a three-win campaign in 2025. Despite the active year, though, his career progress has leveled off with uninspiring efforts in victories over Trevor McCumby and Kevin Lele Sadjo. He also parted ways with Jose Benavidez Snr, his head trainer since 2022.
The reason for his withdrawal in this matter, as learned by BoxingScene, was to focus on securing a new lead coach in his corner. The step is part of a transitional period that includes his having recently brought aboard Sheer Sports Management to guide his career.
Pacheco, 25-0 (18 KOs), remains under the Matchroom Boxing banner, as there are ongoing discussions regarding their future together. The absence of a deal with Sheeraz’s side would have left this fight at the mercy of the highest bidder had Friday’s hearing moved forward, though Matchroom obviously planned to participate in the session.
It’s a moot point, as Sheeraz now moves on to the next one - whomever that may be.
One spot below Pacheco is Jacob Bank, 17-0 (9 KOs), who just so happens to face former IBF titlist William Scull this Saturday in his hometown of Kolding, Denmark. A win by the unbeaten Danish contender Bank could prompt the WBO to take immediate action and order a new fight.
All this is assuming that Mexico’s Alvarez, 63-3-2 (39 KOs), is still unavailable to participate in the process. The former four-division champion Alvarez remains the WBO’s No. 1 168lbs contender, a position he was granted shortly after he lost his undisputed championship to Crawford, 42-0 (31 KOs), last September 13 in Las Vegas.
Crawford has since retired from the sport, having parted with all of the divisional hardware and leaving three of the four major titles still up for grabs at the time.
Jose Armando Resendiz, 14-2 (11 KOs), was automatically upgraded to full WBA titlist from his prior interim beltholder status.
Christian Mbilli was also advanced by the WBC, though only after an ordered title fight with Sheeraz was canceled, as Sheeraz was intent on challenging for the WBO belt.
Osleys Iglesias, 14-0 (13 KOs), and Pavel Silyagin, 16-0-1 (7 KOs), were ordered by the IBF to negotiate terms to meet for its 168lbs title. BoxingScene has learned that the two sides are in advanced talks.
Sheeraz previously competed at middleweight, where he challenged for the WBC title in his final fight at 160lbs. He fought to a disappointing 12-round draw with reigning titleholder Carlos Adames, whom many felt should have earned the decision in their February 2025 meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
A trip up the scale proved to be the best remedy for Sheeraz, who earned a high ranking with all four sanctioning bodies at 168lbs after his knockout win over Edgar Berlanga last summer. Sheeraz traveled to the Brooklyn-based Berlanga's home region and scored a fifth-round stoppage to announce his super middleweight arrival last July 12 in Queens, New York.
