Diego Pacheco (23-0, 18 KOs) got a scare from a late surprising Steven Nelson (20-1, 16 KOs) but was able to survive to win a 12-round unanimous decision in the headliner on DAZN on Saturday night at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Chelsea Ballroom, Las Vegas.
The fight showed that Pacheco can be broken with nonstop pressure at a fast pace. Pacheco was fortunate that Nelson, 36, was an older fighter who lacked power because he would have fallen apart if he could punch.
(Credit: Melina Pizano/Matchroom)
Nelson started fast, using activity to dominate the first three rounds. Pacheco took over with his power punching, and controlled from the fourth through the tenth against Nelson. In the last two rounds, a bloodied Nelson looked like a new man, going after Pacheco, hitting him with big shots that had the 23-year-old holding on.
The energy that the 36-year-old Nelson showed in the 11th and 12th rounds was impressive. That was what was missing from him in the middle portion of the contest, where he gave away the fight.
The scores
117-111
117-111
117-111
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