Four months after being taken the distance by Shawn McCalman, Diego Pacheco returns to the ring to defend his WBC-USA and WBO international super middleweight titles against Maciej Sulecki. It will be the second time in his career that the Los Angeles-born Pacheco will headline a boxing event in his home state.

Both for him and his Warsaw-born opponent, the clash holds significant stakes. A win could push them into the pole position and into future title contention. Sulecki joins the fight after a unanimous win over Rowdy Legend Montgomery. Let’s explore how both boxers are stacked up against each other ahead of their much-anticipated bout.

Diego Pacheco vs. Maciej Sulecki: Stat Showdown

Diego Pacheco, who turned 23 on March 8, stands 6 feet and four inches, or 193 centimeters. Thus, he enjoys a height advantage over Maciej Sulecki, who measures 6 feet and 4 inches, or 185 centimeters. Likewise, the American boxer takes the lead in hand reach as well. Compared to Pacheco’s 79 inches or 201 centimeters, Sulecki, who turned 35 on May 2, records a reach of 68 inches or 173 centimeters.

While the final weigh-ins are yet to take place, for context, during his last fight against McCalman, Diego Pacheco weighed 167.5 pounds. Maciej Sulecki, on the other hand, recorded a weight of 164.8 pounds during the Montgomery fight.

Diego Pacheco remains unbeaten with 21 professional wins. The young boxer comes with an impressive 81% knockout-to-win rate. Sulecki, on the other hand, has been through some rough weather. While more experienced than Pacheco, he nevertheless suffered setbacks in two out of the 34 fights in which he has participated thus far. Moreover, with only 12 of his victories coming his way through early stoppages, his knockout-to-win rate of 37.5% stands way below the one Pacheco boasts.

Diego Pacheco vs. Maciej Sulecki: Who’s got the upper hand in the ring?

With -1000 odds favoring him for a win, Diego Pacheco comes out as a heavy favorite to win on Saturday night. Nevertheless, it would do well to study the journeys of both boxers to get a clear picture. After an impressive amateur career, Pacheco made his professional debut on December 22, 2018. Like many boxers, his initial fights took place in Tijuana, Mexico. His first break came in 2022, when, on September 17, he knocked out Enrique Collazo to secure the WBC-USA super middleweight championship. A year later, he defeated Englishman Jack Cullen to secure the vacant WBO international title.

Since 2022, he has been on a knockout spree. Only Shawn McCalman managed to stand up to his attack on April 6 this year. Like his American counterpart, Maciej Sulecki, too, had a good run as an amateur boxer. He was a three-time junior champion of Poland. Finally, in 2010, he took the plunge into the professional world. It wasn’t until 2015 that he ventured out of his homeland and fought Darryl Cunningham in the United States.

Three years later, he met with his first setback, when former world champion and now-returned Daniel Jacobs defeated him unanimously. But the following year, he won the WBO international middleweight title. On June 29 of that year, he made his first and, thus far, only attempt at a world title. Unfortunately, the mission against Demetrious Andrade didn’t succeed, leaving him with a second career loss. After a fight on December 17, 2021, he went on a break and didn’t return until June 9, last year.

Maciej Sulecki has tested himself against some big names in the ring. Hence, he might have a certain advantage over Diego Pacheco. While speaking with Matchroom Boxing as he trained at Cops and Kids Boxing Gym in Brooklyn, the Polish boxer said that it would be ‘war’. He acknowledged his opponent’s youth. However, he pointed out how Pacheco has yet to come across a big challenge. So using his experience, he would try capitalizing on the mistakes the Washington, Seattle-based resident is prone to making.

On the other hand, highlighting how fans always expect him to deliver a boxing clinic, Diego Pacheco hopes to break down Sulecki over the rounds. He said, “August 31st, you know, I see the fight starting off a little slow. You know, I’m going there to box him, see what he brings, and adjust, and then as the fight goes on, I feel like I’d break him down and get the knockout.”

Diego Pacheco vs. Maciej Sulecki: Money Matters

Specific financial details for the bout are limited. However, given that he is headlining an event, Diego Pacheco should be earning a considerable amount. For his fight against Marcelo Coceres, per a tweet from Dan Rafael, the unbeaten boxer, who trains at the Benavidez Gym, received $62,500, though his guaranteed purse was $125,000. Likewise, against McCalman, he made around $150,000. Details remain sketchy for Maciej Sulecki. However, it is fairly well known that he made roughly $400,000 when he fought Andrade.

Diego Pacheco is currently the No. 1-ranked boxer in the WBO rankings. Talking about his dreams, he said, “You know, I’m asking for all the big fights you know I want to; I’m already in the top 10, and you know, I want to get those top 10 guys so I can earn my title shot. 5 years from now, I’ll be, uh, ruling the 168-pound division and hopefully becoming undisputed at the weight. You know that’s my goal.”

So a win on August 31 would move him a bit closer to his dream. For Maciej Sulecki, a victory could be the opportunity he has been seeking to resurrect his career. Who knows, it might put him back in the elusive title contention in the future.

Between Pacheco and Sulecki, who is your pick for the win at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson?