It’s all a matter of perspective when super middleweights Darius Fulghum and Diego Pacheco square off in Saturday night’s DAZN main event in Southern California.

While Pacheco, 25, feels another convincing victory will take him to greater heights on his path to a world title fight, Fulghum, 30, is looking to make the most of another opportunity after suffering a narrow loss and a draw in his past three bouts.

“That’s been echoing through my head: that this is my second opportunity,” Fulghum told BoxingScene. “It’s not every time that we get a second chance to redeem ourselves and right our wrongs. That’s the way I look at this fight. I’ve left no stone unturned and I don’t take this opportunity for granted. I’m ready to seize the moment.”

From the time he first joined Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, Fulghum drew inspiration from De La Hoya advising him to embrace the thinking, “This is your moment.”

In topping the card at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, Fulghum, 15-1-1 (13 KOs), returns to a prominent position after dropping a tightly contested main event to No. 1-ranked WBA contender Bektemir Melikuziev in Las Vegas in May 2025. Melikuziev won 114-112 on all three scorecards, thanks to a 12th-round knockdown.

Fulghum followed that defeat with a disheartening draw against David Stevens before returning to winning ways with a third-round knockout of Yoanki Urrutia in May.

He enters Saturday’s contest ranked No. 4 by the WBA, while South Central Los Angeles’ Pacheco, 26-0 (19 KOs), is ranked No. 2 by the WBO and No. 3 by the WBC.

The 6-foot-4 Pacheco possesses a 79-inch reach and a defining jab that helped set up an 11th-round knockout of Immanuwel Aleem in Carson in July.

Pacheco is eyeing showdowns with WBA champion Jaime Munguia and WBC interim champion Lester Martinez.

Fulghum, meanwhile, could embrace a nothing-to-lose mindset.

“I don’t look at it that way. In a sense, I think Diego has the most pressure to deal with: fighting in his hometown, the ‘so-close syndrome’ of being so close to fighting for a world title,” Fulghum said.

“He’s had opportunities before that may not come back around. For me, I'm very fortunate and blessed that I have the opportunity to put myself right back in position. Diego has the pressure. I’m coming to win. There’s no doubt I’m going to win. Diego has to deal with that in his hometown. Diego’s a great fighter. I think I’m a better fighter.”

Fulghum believes the contest could be determined by which fighter imposes his jab most effectively.

Asked if Pacheco’s jab is his biggest strength, Fulghum said, “You hit the nail on the head: the jab is very good. But I won’t know how good it is until I get in the ring with him and see how good it is. Honestly, I may think, ‘I thought it was way better than this …’ It could be a puzzle piece or not. From the outside looking in, it looks good.

“But let me add one caveat: I think I’ve got a great jab, too, and one thing I’ve never seen from him is fighting someone else with a great jab … I think I’ve got all the tools to nullify his jab.”

All it takes is a brief sitdown with Fulghum to witness his passion and enthusiasm for the sport.

“One thing my dad always told me is, know your sport. If you’re going to do something, don’t half-ass anything,” Fulghum said. “Give it your all. It’s so important. This is my life, my livelihood. I’ve got to know it. Diego’s been doing this since he was a young kid, but my passion for this does burn deep.”

“It is mine for the taking – mine to win, mine to lose. It is my moment. It’s there for the taking. I’m going to go take it.”

A former wrestler, Fulghum said he craves the solitude of preparation and the accountability of one-on-one combat.

“The thing about individual sports is it’s all about accountability. I want it because I want it. No pointing fingers over a missed catch or missed shot,” he said. “It’s taught me to be a leader. Last year, I took it on the chin. My team and I have put it together for this fight. We did our thing, and I know we’re coming out victorious.

“What came shining through [the 2025 adversity] is these opportunities. My name, ‘DFG’ stands for ‘Destined For Greatness.’ You can quote my name that I’m destined for this, and me getting another opportunity to be in this position, where I can fight to be a world champion, validates everything I believe in myself.

“Things didn’t go the way I wanted in 2025, but now I’m leaning into every ounce of my being into what I want.”