Pacheco, 25-0 (18 KOs), will defend the WBC Silver and WBO International super middleweight titles against Aleem, 22-4-3 (14 KOs). The 25-year-old Los Angeles native returns following a unanimous decision victory over Kevin Lele Sadjo last December.
Pacheco was knocked down in the eighth round of his unanimous decision victory over Kevin Lele Sadjo last December.
Since then, Pacheco has made notable changes outside the ring, joining Sheer Sports and bringing Hall of Fame trainer Buddy McGirt into his corner. Matchroom has also renewed its promotional agreement with the highly ranked super middleweight contender.
“I’m looking forward to taking him to the world title,” Robert Diaz of Sheer Sports said of Pacheco.
The co-feature could carry major implications at lightweight. Cruz, 6-1 (3 KOs), will attempt to rebound from the first defeat of his professional career when he meets Bell, 28-1 (9 KOs), in an IBF final eliminator.
The 2020 Olympic gold medalist dropped a 12-round majority decision to Muratalla on January 24, falling short in his attempt to capture the IBF lightweight title. Despite the setback, Cruz has been handed an immediate opportunity to work his way back into title contention.
Bell enters the fight riding a lengthy winning streak and has spent years climbing the rankings in search of a breakthrough opportunity. The winner will strengthen his position for a future meeting with Muratalla, who is scheduled to defend his title against Robson Conceicao on August 1.
With a world title eliminator at lightweight and one of boxing’s top-rated super middleweights returning to action, the July 18 card provides significant stakes across two divisions as Matchroom continues to shape the title picture heading into the second half of 2026.
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