Trainer Buddy McGirt says super middleweight contender Diego Pacheco possesses significant natural ability that has not yet been fully developed. The assessment comes ahead of Pacheco’s fight against Immanuwel Aleem this Saturday, a bout that marks the beginning of their new partnership.
McGirt, a Hall of Fame trainer, recently joined the 25-year-old’s team and believes Pacheco has only begun to understand his own capabilities. “Honestly, he has untouched talent,” McGirt said. “He knows he’s good, but he doesn’t realize how good he is and could be.” The trainer compared Pacheco’s innate skills to those of former two-division world champion Vernon Forrest, noting that some of his movements in training are so natural that Pacheco himself cannot immediately replicate them on command. The primary goal now is to refine that raw talent.
The fight against Aleem is an important one for Pacheco (25-0, 18 KOs). His last performance, a decision win over Kevin Lele Sadjo, drew criticism for long periods of holding, which raised questions about his readiness to compete with the division’s elite. A convincing victory is needed to re-establish his standing as a top contender at 168 pounds. Another difficult outing would reinforce the doubts that emerged from the Sadjo fight.
Although Aleem is not considered a top-tier opponent, McGirt is not underestimating the challenge he presents. “At this stage of the game, anybody’s a high risk,” McGirt stated, emphasizing the need for thorough preparation. He added that the camp’s focus is straightforward and disciplined. “The key is just to prepare for any and everything and be ready for whatever he brings to the table.” This first fight under McGirt’s guidance will be closely watched to see if the new partnership can unlock the potential he sees.
