In what’s become a disturbingly common thread, Diego Pacheco has pulled out of his vacant WBO title fight with Hamzah Sheeraz on the cusp of the purse bid.
Jake Donovan reports that Pacheco (25-0, 18 KO) backed out “to get better acclimated to his new management team and trainer,” which doesn’t explain why he strung Sheeraz (22-0-1, 18 KO) along instead of just declining the invitation to negotiate. It’s uncomfortably reminiscent of the way Josh Taylor let various mandatory obligations hit their deadlines instead of just vacating the belts and letting the division keep moving.
The question now is how the WBO intends to proceed; president Gustavo Olivieri said an announcement would be made “in due course,” but that can’t stop us from speculating. No. 1 Canelo Alvarez is out until September, taking him off the table, and no. 4 Jacob Bank has a date with William Scull tomorrow. While Sheeraz-Bank could be the play if Bank comes out victorious, the WBO also hasn’t updated their rankings in over a month, so they could slot in an unexpected challenger.
As for Pacheco, it’s yet another self-inflicted wound from someone who once ranked among Matchroom’s favorite prospects. He’s gone the distance three times in a row, whelming at best in the process, and doesn’t seem nearly as sharp as he did when under the tutelage of Jose Benavidez Sr. This was a massive opportunity as the division looks to establish a new normal and he blew it in the most aggravating way possible.
