LAS VEGAS – Diego Pacheco expressed mutual interest in fighting Edgar Berlanga late Saturday night.

Brooklyn’s Berlanga wasted no time whatsoever following Pacheco’s victory over Steven Nelson in calling out the undefeated super middleweight contender. Pacheco realizes he more than likely will not get a chance to challenge Canelo Alvarez for his Ring, WBA, WBC and WBO 168-pound championships anytime soon.

The most recent opponent Alvarez defeated will surely suffice sometime later this year.

“That’s a fight that I’ve been open to making for a long time now,” Pacheco said during his post-fight press conference at The Cosmopolitan. “And, you know, it’s funny because my coach [Jose Benavidez Sr.] told me, he’s like, ‘If you don’t get the knockout [against Nelson], all these guys are gonna be ready to fight you. You know, these guys are gonna be open to fighting you if you don’t get the knockout.’ So, it’s funny he said that, because now it’s happening. And Edgar Berlanga, if you’re hearing this, bro, we can run it next, whenever. Let’s get it.”

Los Angeles’ Pacheco persistently tried to knock out Omaha’s Nelson, whose chin and grit gave Pacheco difficulty at times during a 12-round fight the favored fighter won by the same score, 117-111, on the cards of judges Tim Cheatham, Max De Luca and David Sutherland. Pacheco clearly won a main event DAZN streamed, but he seemed fatigued during the championship rounds and appeared affected by flush punches Nelson landed during the 12th round.

A respectful Pacheco praised the skill and toughness of Nelson (20-1, 16 KOs), a Terence Crawford camp mate who is 13 years older and six inches shorter than the 6-foot-4 Pacheco. Their somewhat difficult fight helped prepare Pacheco (23-0, 18 KOs) for the “top five” opponents he wants next.

Battling Berlanga would do bigger business, though, than if Pacheco opposed most other highly rated super middleweights not named Alvarez.

Pacheco, 23, is The Ring’s third-rated super middleweight contender. He is also ranked No. 1 by the WBO, No. 3 by the WBC and No. 6 by the IBF.

Berlanga, 27, is ranked ninth among The Ring’s top 10 challengers for Alvarez’s 168-pound championship. He is ranked No. 3 by the WBO, No. 4 by the WBA and No. 6 by the WBC as well.

Berlanga (22-1, 17 KOs) fared better versus Alvarez than anticipated, which enhanced his reputation with the industry and among boxing fans. He nonetheless lost a unanimous decision to Guadalajara’s Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs) in their pay-per-view main event September 14 at nearby T-Mobile Arena.

The native Puerto Rican also earned a career-high purse in excess of $9 million for facing Alvarez. His standing within the division encouraged Berlanga to take shots at Pacheco following his hard-fought defeat of Nelson.

“Ima get that young boy a big pay day and a big ass whooping,” Berlanga stated in a message posted on X late Saturday night. “You only getting paid 200k a fight sheesh.”

Eddie Hearn’s company, Matchroom Boxing, promotes Pacheco and Berlanga. He also is interested in matching them after Berlanga boxes an opponent to be determined March 8 in Puerto Rico.

“For me, it’s the first time I’ve really heard Edgar talk about that fight, which is music to our ears, I think,” Hearn said during the press conference. “You know what I mean? It’s a brilliant fight. It’s a very tough fight. It’s a dangerous fight for both men. Two great fighters, Mexico v. Puerto Rico, and I think [bigger] now after showing how Diego’s star and profile is rising because a lot of people said, ‘Oh, who is Diego Pacheco? Why would we fight Diego Pacheco?’ Now people are calling him out. Edgar Berlanga, who is one of the biggest names in the division, is calling out Diego Pacheco, which is fantastic. And it is a really, really, really good fight. And I know [Pacheco likes] that fight, too.”