Ernesto “Titio” ‍Mercado: The Rise of a Boxing Star

Ernesto “Titio” Mercado has been making waves in the boxing world since turning pro at the young age of 22. Hailing from Pomona, California, Mercado has taken control⁤ of his own career‌ by remaining a promotional free agent and staying active in the ring. This has led to him being​ named BoxingScene Prospect ⁤of the⁤ Year in 2023 and earning a record of 14-0 with 13 knockouts.

Mercado’s upcoming fight on a DAZN show ‍in Texas‌ is just another step ⁣in his⁤ journey to the top. He will be⁢ facing off against L.A-based⁤ Colombian Deiner Berrio, who holds a record of 22-4-1 with ⁢13 knockouts. This will be Mercado’s second fight of 2024,⁤ after a successful year in 2023 where he fought five ⁢times.

Staying active in the ring has become ⁣a buzzword in the boxing world, ⁣with some fighters losing form due to⁤ inactivity while others have been reborn by staying busy and constantly training. Mercado understands the importance of staying active and believes it is the only way ⁤to truly improve and learn in the sport.

“It has been really important because it is the only way you will ‍learn,”⁤ said Mercado. “You can do all the sparring you want and‌ train in the gym,​ but if you can’t perform⁣ in the ring when‌ it counts, none⁢ of that matters. ​Staying active in the ring is crucial for growth and improvement.”

Mercado’s‍ profile is on the rise, and he ‌is already receiving ​calls for major shows. However, ​he is enjoying‌ his flexibility ‍and early success as a free agent. “Being a free agent ⁤has been a​ blessing⁢ because I have​ been able to fight against​ good opponents,” he explained. “For example, in my last fight, I was supposed to fight in January, but it got cancelled. I was able to reschedule a date and even had ⁤another fight a week later when my⁤ opponent came in overweight. It’s nice to have control over my own ⁤career and be able to schedule my own fights.”

But Mercado’s journey to ‍the top was not always smooth sailing.⁣ He ⁣was a talented amateur boxer‍ and was set to represent Nicaragua in the Tokyo Olympics before‍ the pandemic hit. Unfortunately, ⁤the qualifiers ‍were cancelled, and Mercado missed ​out on his chance to compete. However,‍ he ‍believes everything‌ happens for a reason and is happy with where he is now.

“It would have been different if I had gone out there ⁢and won a gold medal,” Mercado ⁣reflected. “But things happen ‌for a reason, and I ⁤am ‍happy with where I ‌am now. It was crushing at the time, but ⁢I am in a good place.”

Mercado’s ​decision to⁣ turn pro instead of waiting another​ four years ⁢for the Olympics was a smart ⁤move. He didn’t want to risk missing out on opportunities and decided to take control of​ his own future. ⁣”Nothing is guaranteed, especially in amateur boxing,”‍ he said. “Waiting another four years would have been detrimental to my pro career. We have seen many great amateur fighters like‍ Lomachenko who stayed in the‍ amateurs ​for too long.⁣ I didn’t want to‌ make the same⁣ mistake.”

While ‍his journey ⁢may​ have taken a different path,‍ Mercado’s end goal remains the same ‍– to ⁤become a world champion. But he knows he has a tough⁤ road ahead, ‍especially in the super lightweight⁢ division, which is​ one of the​ most competitive in boxing. His top ⁤three ⁣in the ⁤division are Devin Haney, Teofimo Lopez, ⁤and Subriel Matias, and Mercado knows he needs to face top-10 opponents to reach their‍ level.

“I think mentally ⁢I am ready now,” he said.​ “I need to get some of those top-10 guys in there with me. ‌That’s what I need. Earlier​ this‌ year, I was offered the ​ [Arnold] Barboza fight, and if ⁣I had gotten that