Diego Pacheco vs Trevor McCumby Predictions: Pacheco ticks over but soon must step up

The WBO’s number-one ranked super middleweight contender Diego Pacheco takes on Trevor McCumby this Saturday, July 19. The 12-round attraction serves as chief support for Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez’s two-belt super flyweight unification with Phumelele Cafu. The event takes place at The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. DAZN will broadcast the fight live.

Here are my Diego Pacheco vs Trevor McCumby predictions ahead of this 168-pound scrap.

Diego Pacheco vs Trevor McCumby Odds

Pacheco is the big favourite at 1/20. The tough McCumby is an 8/1 underdog while the draw is priced at 16/1.

Diego Pacheco vs Trevor McCumby Fight Preview

In football, sometimes a promising team is promoted to the Premier League too early and shown up. They get damaged by a chance they might have grabbed with both hands a season or two later. Pacheco is determined not to fall into that trap.

By rights, he is the number-one contender for the WBO super middleweight belt that currently comprises a quarter of Saul Alvarez’s undisputed empire. But Pacheco is in no rush to push for that fight. Having his first fight since turning 24 in March, the California-born puncher is happy to take on learning assignments.

It was this pragmatic approach that saw Matchroom reportedly withdraw their man from negotiations to face unbeaten Frenchman Christian Mbilli for the WBC interim championship. Mbilli had little trouble with Maciej Sulecki, a mutual opponent, knocking him out in the first round to claim the vacant belt.

That closed one avenue to secure a Canelo fight, but that does not appear to be the immediate plan. Through the WBO it could be engineered if needs be. But Pacheco will have seen what the mighty Mexican did to Edgar Berlanga, a fighter of similar experience to Pacheco, last year. Berlanga then got mullered by Britain’s Hamzah Sheeraz on the latter’s 168lb debut a week ago. 

So Pacheco goes in with a decent opponent, rather than a future legend like Canelo or a dangerous fighter who looks ready for titles like Mbilli. McCumby is decent and dependable without being a world-beater. He has only lost once, albeit it did come in his only foray into world class.

McCumby was stopped in nine rounds of a battle for the WBA interim title against Caleb Plant. The 32-year-old was 28-0 with 21 knockouts coming in, but the former IBF super middleweight boss had too much for him. Which was expected. McCumby had cut his teeth at a lower level and not everyone can make that jump.

But McCumby still offers effective opposition for fighters like Pacheco. You reach a point where you need to stop fighting the guys who are coming to lay down. The 24-year-old has graduated from journeymen opposition to fighters less accustomed to the referee raising the other guy’s hand.

Most recent opponent Steven Nelson was unbeaten and had punch power. Pacheco did not dazzle but he did enough to take a justified unanimous decision. Sulecki was a former world title challenger and had never been stopped until Pacheco did it in six. The fact Mbilli managed it in the first 10 months later should not take any lustre from that result.

There have been other scalps that point to Pacheco’s promise. He outpointed Manuel Gallegos one fight before the Mexican knocked out the highly-touted Khalil Coe. Pacheco also holds wins over former British and Commonwealth champ Jack Cullen and Marcelo Cocores, the latter of whom challenged then-WBO middleweight kingpin Billy Joe Saunders.

One does wonder how many more of these learning fights Pacheco will take. He seems to have conquered the C+/B- level of opponent. Now is the time to get among the big names. Sheeraz and Canelo might be a little way off. Perhaps even Mbilli. But why not test the waters with the likes of our own world-ranked Callum Simpson or former champion Jermell Charlo? What about the man Canelo just dethroned for the IBF strap, William Scull? Even a Bruno Surace or Edgar Berlanga, dangerous fighters on the rebound. The fights are there.

But for now, it is Trevor McCumby in the opposite corner. A solid enough test, but perhaps the last fighter of this type Pacheco should face for a while. There is no need to rush, but there is even less need to stand still. To cease moving forward is to move backwards in the ever-changing sport of boxing. 

Diego Pacheco vs Trevor McCumby Full Card

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Diego Pacheco vs Trevor McCumby Prediction

Pacheco should win this impressively. McCumby is capable but limited. He hits hard, but Pacheco hits harder. The favourite has clashed with a better class of opponent, with the exception of McCumby’s bout with Plant. 

I think Pacheco matches Caleb in this one, scoring a stoppage like ‘Sweethands’ managed last September. I fancy one of our Price Boost’s here, namely McCumby to get knocked down in rounds 1-4, up from 7/4 to 2/1. While I think the fight itself goes a bit longer, I can see Pacheco getting through with an early power shot that sends the underdog tumbling.

But because I always strive to offer value for not only your money but also your time spent reading my work, you can have a decisive prediction too. I like Pacheco to finish proceedings in rounds 7-9, which is available at 5/2.

You can find all our latest boxing betting tips and analysis at our Betfred Insights Boxing page and our latest boxing odds here.