Irish super middleweight contender Jason Quigley has confirmed that he is in negotiations to fight Diego Pacheco on Sept. 7.

The decorated former amateur star believes talks could be concluded this week, although he also acknowledged that he is not the only name in the frame to take on the Los Angeles-born, 23-year-old Pacheco at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

A host of names have been linked to Pacheco, including France’s Kevin Lee Sadjo, but Quigley is keen to take on the rising star.

“We’re very interested,” said the 33-year-old Quigley. “The first offer was pretty low, so we’re just negotiating and going back to see what the story is, and they’re going to have a look over things to see if they can make it happen. We’re good to go as long as everything makes sense. But to be honest, they might take a cheaper route and maybe an easier route as well.”

A less expensive option might be an opponent such as Polish contender Maciej Sulecki, and Quigley understands the economics involved. He also believes he carries a greater threat than the Pole.

 “Obviously, he’s probably going to come in a lot cheaper for them, and he’s not as big a test, in my opinion,” Quigley stated. “I think he knows he comes in as the opponent, and he’s there to show up and he’ll put on a show but knows he’s an opponent – whereas I’m not an opponent. In my head, I’m coming in there only to win. And yes, I’ll be looked at as the B-side in this fight. Pacheco’s the main guy, but I come in with a good mindset and a good platform behind me against [Edgar] Berlanga.

“I put in a good performance. The knockdowns were the key factor in that fight that took it away from me with the judges. And if you take the knockdowns out of it, I believe I won nearly every round. That’s the sport we’re in, and we get on with it. But it would be a good opportunity if it happens. I’m excited for it, but things need to start happening pretty quick for it to get over the line.”

Quigley has not boxed since the Berlanga loss last June, but the venue in September is one he is familiar with, having defeated Fernando Najera there in his second pro fight on the Kell Brook-Shawn Porter undercard a decade ago.

While it has been a while since Quigley boxed, he has stayed on top of things and will be ready to prepare under respected coach Andy Lee as soon as a fight is signed. He also knows that he will be hired to serve as a gatekeeper for the promising Pacheco, a stepping-stone towards a big fight for the emerging talent.

“I know that’s exactly what they’re doing,” Quigley said. “I think that it’s a perfect opportunity for me because I don’t believe he’s the big star that they think he’s gonna be. 

“He is yet to prove it, as well. His last performance wasn’t great; he was in with a boxer and didn’t look too hot against him. I know they’re going to be gauging him off me and the Berlanga performance. Styles make fights, but obviously they’re going to look at it [as] ‘How did Jason do against Berlanga? How did Pacheco do against Jason?’ And they’re going to gauge things from there. But they’ll be in for a big shock if this fight happens, because I believe he’s there for the taking and I believe I can take him out.”

The 6-foot-4 Pacheco (21-0, 17 KOs) outscored Shawn McCalman over 10 rounds at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas in April. He is not someone Quigley has gone out of his way to study, but the Irishman has seen him fight.

“I followed the news on him and maybe the highlights of a few of his fights,” Quigley said. “For no real reason – just as a boxing fan. Look, he seems to be going pretty well. His record’s good. But, realistically, when you look at his record, he’s fought nobody and he’s hyped up, but he still has [plenty] to prove, I believe. I don’t think he’s proved his hype yet in terms of his caliber of fighters that he’s fighting.”

In three of his last four fights, Quigley has boxed Shane Mosley Jr., Demetrius Andrade and Berlanga, and while he has considered other directions and remains open to them – including getting some activity under his belt – the lure of significant fights remains attractive.

“You get to the stage in your career and you only want these big fights that excite you and make you really up for it, and I suppose looking at things, the smarter route would maybe be taking two or three lighter fights and getting a bit of consistency going – and that’s a possibility as well,” Quigley went on. “But I think it’s the excitement of getting in there against Pacheco and taking him out [that] is pulling me towards this opportunity.”

And Quigley also knows that he is a big win away from a truly major fight. One more victory after defeating Quigley, and Berlanga is considered to be a frontrunner in the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez sweepstakes, possibly the largest financial prize in the sport for a respective challenger.

“Definitely,” Quigley said. “You look at Berlanga now, he’s right in contention now of fighting Canelo. And [Chris] Eubank Jr. is in the frame as well, but only a month or two ago, I got a call from Eubank’s manager and got offered that fight, and we were jumping at that opportunity as well. We agreed to take that fight, but Eubank left his promoter and left Wasserman and things were up in the air, so that never came to fruition. But in the boxing game, your name’s always going to be thrown around and you’re going to be getting opportunities.”

Quigley hopes to know more this week, so he has plenty of notice to start getting ready. But he is confident his track record will set him apart from other possible Pacheco opponents, in that he will show up in shape and can be counted on to be a pro.

“I know now, with the boxing head and business head on me, that promoters are looking at me and there’s no hassle with me,” he said. “I can come in, I’m well-respected in the boxing game, I show up on weight, there’s never any issues with me, and they know when I get into that ring, I’m going to give it 100 percent – and not a lot of promoters can bank on that with fighters out there.”

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