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Philippines, 19 Dec 2024 |
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PACHECO, CRUZ AND MERCADO PRIMED FOR CRUNCH LAS VEGAS SHOWDOWNS AT THE CHELSEA AT THE COSMOPOLITAN OF LAS VEGAS SATURDAY, JANUARY 25 PhilBoxing.com Thu, 19 Dec 2024  168lb superstar tackles unbeaten Omaha ace – Andy Cruz and Ernesto Mercado take on tough tests Diego Pacheco will defend his USWBC and WBO International Super-Middleweight titles against Steven Nelson at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas Saturday, January 25, live worldwide on DAZN – with Cuban Olympic star Andy Cruz taking on Omar Salcido and Ernesto Mercado facing Jose Pedraza on his Matchroom debut. TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW AT TICKETMASTER.COM Pacheco (22-0 18 KOs) is closing in on World title action as the #1 ranked contender with the WBO and sitting pretty at #3 in the WBC and #4 with the IBF. The LA star headlines for the sixth show in a row and for the second time in Las Vegas, where he saw off Shawn McCalman on points in April, before returning to his home turf in August to record his 18th win inside the distance with a sickening body shot KO win over Maciej Sulecki – performances that further bolstered his standing as one of the hottest talents in the game, which was confirmed by ESPN ranking Pacheco #2 in their list of the top fighters under 25, second only to pound-for-pound star and stablemate Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez. Nelson (20-0 16 KOs) has been hunting a big fight and now gets the chance to derail Pacheco’s rise to the top and move himself into the great position that his young foe has reached. The 36 year old last tasted action in August in Los Angeles with a fifth-round stoppage win over Marcos Rodriguez on the undercard of his good friend and fellow Omaha fighter, Terence Crawford. “I’m very excited to be back in the ring early 2025 against another undefeated opponent –the DP show continues,” said Pacheco. “This is the type of fight I been wanting so I can show the world who I am,” said Nelson. Like Pacheco, Cruz and Mercado are targeting World title action in 2025, and they can lay down an early marker to land the big fights in crunch clashes against Salcido and Pedraza respectively. Cruz (4-0 2 KOs) is ranked #4 with the WBA and the IBF at 135lbs and will be knocking on the door for a World title shot even louder if he can claim a fifth win in the pro ranks in Sin City. The 2020 Olympic gold medal man picked up a pair of impressive wins in 2024, first locking out Brayan Zamarripa over ten rounds in Orlando in February and then recording his second win inside the distance with a seventh-round stoppage of Antonio Moran in Los Angeles in August. The fifth man to try to halt Cruz’s progress is Mexican Salcido (20-1 14 KOs). Salcido will enter the bout full of confidence after stopping Chris Colbert in the ninth round of their clash in Florida in October, and the 24 year old can add an even more impressive scalp to his resume in the shape of Cruz. “January 25 is another opportunity for me to showcase my talent to the world and shine,” said Cruz. “This is another test on my journey to becoming a World champion where all the effort and dedication will be put to the test. All my training and sacrifice has brought me here. When I enter the ring, I am not only fighting my opponent. I am challenging my own limits as I aim for greatness.” “First and foremost, I would like to thank God, Matchroom and my team for this great opportunity,” said Salcido. “I am working hard, camp is going great, I am preparing mentally and physically for a war. “Andy Cruz is a talented fighter; however, I am up for the challenge. I know the importance of this fight, a win over Cruz will be huge and will open many great opportunities for me. I dedicate this fight to my family and all the boxing fans that will be watching on DAZN.” Mercado (16-0 15 KOs) gets a second chance to make his Matchroom debut in Las Vegas, as his planned bow under Eddie Hearn in Philadelphia was axed after his opponent blew the weight. ‘Tito’ will be eager to make up for lost time, and after landing three KO wins from three fights in 2024, the 23 year old will look to kick off his 2025 in style against the Puerto Rican. Former two-weight World ruler Pedraza (29-6-1 14 KOs) boasts an enviable CV littered with great names, and the 35 year old will be looking to use all that experience to derail Mercado’s progress. ‘Sniper’ held the IBF Super-Featherweight title from 2015 to 2017 and the WBO Lightweight crown in 2018 and having shared the ring with modern greats like Vasiliy Lomachenko and Gervonta Davis, Pedraza will be out to prove he still has ambitions at the very top level. “I’m excited to get back in the ring and even more now that I’m facing former world champion Jose Pedraza on January 25 in Las Vegas,” said Mercado. “Don’t miss it because I’m going to knock his bald-headed ass out in a way you have never seen before!” “I’m really happy to return to what I’m passionate about: boxing,” said Pedraza. “I’m grateful for this opportunity that Matchroom have given me to face a young, top-quality fighter. I’ll show the world that I’m at a stage where there’s still a lot of fight in me to become a world champion once again. “I’ve never turned down any opponent. All of them have been elite fighters and this time will not be the exception. Ernesto has the same hunger I had at his age but it’s the same for both of us because this fight can decide his future. If he beats me, he’ll move on and chase his dream, but I also have that hunger in me. I have to win to get that shot to become a three-weight world champion. “On 25 January in Las Vegas the fans will enjoy a fight where a young fighter looks to beat me, a fighter with a great résumé but he will fail. Mercado will have to wait a bit longer and I still remember the message he sent to me. I’ll use it as a great source of motivation and let him know that we were made in Puerto Rico.” “This is a hugely important night for three of our World champions in waiting,” said Hearn. “Diego and Andy are right on the cusp of World title action, and Tito wants all the big names at 140lbs and wants to move quickly – so all three of them have to be on point against hungry and dangerous opponents on January 25.” Further additions to the undercard will be announced soon.  |
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