The title was acquired after Terence Crawford retired from the group. The fight was officially ordered on December 20, more than two weeks after the WBC issued its own order for Sheeraz to meet the interim champion Christian Mbilli. While both routes remain strong, the WBO decision appears to be the best route for Sheeraz’s team.
That demand marks a slight change. At the beginning of this year, Sheeraz Mbilli’s management publicly explained that it was an obvious decision. Since then, the momentum has shifted toward Pacheco, in part due to the use of advertising and long-term business reviews.
Sheeraz fought Carlos Adames in the twelfth round in February 2025, a fight that proved to be his last appearance at 160 pounds. Moved up to super middleweight soon after and made an immediate impact, stopping Edgar Berlanga in five rounds last July in New York. It was his first fight at 168 pounds and his most convincing performance to date.
Pacheco, meanwhile, completed a full but uneventful 2025 campaign. He opened the year with a twelve-round decision against Steven Nelson in Las Vegas. A low power win over Trevor McCumby followed in July. He ended the year with a win over Kevin Lele Sadjo in December, although he fell during the fight before recovering to secure the decision.
The Sheeraz Pacheco matchup has been hyped for a Riyadh Season card. Sheeraz has fought exclusively under that banner in recent outings and remains close to his decision-makers. Scheduling issues elsewhere on the calendar has disrupted those plans, but interest remains.
If no agreement is reached by the new deadline, the fight will continue at a fee open to all WBO promoters. A minimum bid of $300,000 is required. The winnings will be split equally, or adjusted sixty-forty in favor of the visiting fighter in the event of an outsider.
At this stage, the extension is less like a delay and more like a silent signal which is the way Sheeraz plans to go.