Ernesto “Tito” Mercado, the young gun at 140 pounds, left no room for doubt at the Owl’s Nest in Houston, demolishing Deiner Berrio to grab the WBA North American Gold Super Lightweight Title. With this TKO after three rounds, Mercado’s record now gleams at 15-0, with Berrio failing to show for the fourth, clearly having had enough.
Mercado, a 22-year-old powerhouse trained by his old man, never let up, hammering Berrio with a relentless barrage of hits. Berrio, pulling up with a strategy that seemed more about survival than fight, barely put up a fight, leading to a dismal end on his stool. Mercado, hungry for a real challenge, is already eyeing bigger prey, calling out the likes of Issac “Pitbull” Cruz.
Mercado unleashed a barrage of punches that Berrio, the older and supposedly wiser, could barely fend off. While Berrio opted for a more, let’s say, ‘reserved’ approach, Mercado was all about making noise, hunting down Berrio with the tenacity of a hungry wolf. By the end of the third, Berrio had had enough, choosing the comfort of his stool over the fury of Mercado’s fists.
Post-fight, Mercado didn’t mince words, implying Berrio was more interested in a game of tag than an actual fight. But hey, he tried to give the fans a show, right? Now, with his eyes set on the big leagues, Mercado’s itching to throw down with the likes of Issac Cruz. “Bring ’em on,” he says.
Meanwhile, in the co-main event, Carlos Jackson turned Alexis Bastar’s night sour, forcing him to bow out with a hand injury, a convenient escape from Jackson’s relentless assault. The fight had its share of drama, with Jackson’s low blows adding a spicy subplot, but ultimately, it was his power that sealed the deal.
Not to be outdone, Houston’s own Oscar Perez showcased his grit against Jeremiah Lewis-Watts, bagging a unanimous decision despite a questionable knockdown and a hurt hand. The local lad proved he’s not just about the flash; he’s got the firepower to back it up.
Kicking off the main card, Adrian Serrano, the young prodigy, displayed his arsenal against Luis Gerardo in a bout that was more a test of resilience than anything else.