Pacheco recognizes, though, that those two 168-pound champions aren’t options for his first fight of 2027.

Munguia (47-2, 35 KOs) is committed to making a mandatory title defense against Bektemir Melikuziev (17-1, 11 KOs) in his next fight. And Alvarez has plenty of options on a list that features former WBO champ Hamzah Sheeraz for a return to the ring that could take place as soon as February.

Assuming Munguia and Alvarez aren’t available and Pacheco defeats Fulghum, the 25-year-old Los Angeles native is willing to face another of The Ring’s top five fighters in their division.

“Lester Martinez is a great fighter,” Pacheco told The Ring. “If we can’t get a world title fight with Jaime or Canelo, or even a fight with Sheeraz, I would love a fight with Lester Martinez. He’s a hell of a fighter. I have a lotta respect for him, Bo-Mac [trainer Brian McIntyre], his whole team. But I feel like I’m the better fighter and when we make these fights I will come out on top. Like I’ve said, in the years to come I feel I’ll be running the 168-pound division.”

Guatemala’s Martinez (21-0-1, 17 KOs), ranked No. 3 among The Ring’s contenders for an unclaimed championship, wants his own shot at Alvarez (64-3-2, 39 KOs), who won the WBC belt from Christian Mbilli on October 31 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Martinez owns the WBC interim championship and watched Alvarez beat Mbilli (29-1-1, 24 KOs) from ringside at Kingdom Arena.

Pacheco (26-0, 19 KOs), ranked No. 6 by The Ring and No. 3 by the WBC, was especially impressed by Martinez’s performance against Mbilli in their fan-friendly, 10-round split draw on the Alvarez-Terence Crawford undercard in September 2025 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

“I thought he beat Mbilli,” Pacheco said. “I thought he won. It was really, really close, but Lester Martinez, to me it looked like he was in control a little bit more in a couple rounds. But obviously Mbilli was coming forward and it was hard to judge that fight. But they’re both great fighters and I think, in due time, I’ll be able to face all of ‘em.”

DraftKings lists Pacheco as a 10-1 favorite versus Houston’s Fulghum (15-1-1, 13 KOs) in their 12-round main event.

DAZN will stream the card headlined by Pacheco and Fulghum globally from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. TNT and truTV will air the main portion of it in the United States as part of the networks’ partnership with DAZN, starting at 8 p.m. ET and 5 p.m. PT.