“I would love a fight with all of the top names,” Pacheco said after he stopped Immanuwel Aleem in the 11th round Saturday night. “I am looking for the biggest fight possible. This is a business, and everything has to line up and make sense, and I feel like there’s no better time than now.”

Pacheco primarily pushed for a shot at WBA super middleweight champ Jaime Munguia next. He also would welcome a fight against England’s Sheeraz, who won the WBO 168-pound title after Pacheco passed late in January on a chance to face him for the then-vacant championship.

The 25-year-old Pacheco’s promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, proposed much different ideas.

“If the world championship shot comes in November, it’s probably not what was part of the refresh plan," Hearn told the media as Pacheco stood next him. “If the Jaime Munguia or Hamzah Sheeraz fight came in November, Diego’s got another tough decision to make as an individual. I do feel like that fight in November is more of an Armando Resendiz or Bruno Surace kind of opponent, because he still needs names to break out and get the attention of guys like Munguia and Canelo Alvarez. Those are different kinds of fights."

Pacheco gave Hearn a playful side-eye with a smirk and pressed the issue for Mexico’s Munguia (46-2, 35 KOs), who won the WBA belt from Resendiz (16-3, 11 KOs) on May 2 in Las Vegas.

“I have a lot of respect for Munguia,” Pacheco said. “He’s a guy I’ve looked up to since I was a kid. I have nothing but respect for him, and if he gives me the opportunity, we can rumble.”

A fight with Sheeraz presented itself at an inopportune time for Pacheco, who sought improvement after an average 2025 campaign that featured decisive but not overly impressive wins against Steven Nelson, Trevor McCumby and Kevin Lele Sadjo. Pacheco passed on the Mbilli bout because he felt he wasn’t offered enough money to fight for the WBC interim championship in Mbilli’s adopted hometown of Montreal.

Recognizing the need for a fresh start, The Ring’s No. 6-ranked super middleweight contender overhauled nearly every aspect of his career by bringing in new management, changing trainers by hiring Buddy McGirt, extending his partnership with Matchroom, and leaving the Seattle area, where he trained with David Benavidez’s team. The move brought him back to Los Angeles, where he reunited with his family and began rebuilding both his life and boxing career.

Everything came together for Pacheco (26-0, 19 KOs) as he plastered the outmatched Aleem (22-5-3, 14 KOs) during a one-sided fight at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Hearn is embracing Pacheco’s proposal as he embarks on the evolutionary phase of his career.

“I feel like Munguia is the breakout fight for Pacheco,” Hearn said. “He does need the breakout opponent to break out his profile, quite honestly. To move the needle, you need the appropriate fights, and he’s never really had that breakout fight yet. What he’s had are some brilliant opponents, and he’s had some brilliant nurturing in the right direction, but he hasn’t had the breakout night.

“Diego hasn’t dropped down a level. He just stayed where he was. But you’ve got to look good if you do that, having turned down the world title shot. That was a tough decision. I probably wouldn’t have done it because I’m a bit more gung-ho. But it’s very unusual that a fighter says, ‘I need to work on a few things.’ That was a really mature decision, and actually I think it will go to show to be the right decision.”

Manouk Akopyan is The Ring’s lead writer. Follow him on X and Instagram: @ManoukAkopyan.