Ernesto “Tito” Mercado continued his rapid rise through the super lightweight division on Friday night, stopping veteran Juan Carlos Burgos in the second round of their scheduled 10-round bout.
The unbeaten Mercado entered the fight as a heavy favorite against the experienced Burgos, a former world title challenger who had built a reputation for durability during a lengthy professional career. By the end of the second round, however, Mercado had accomplished something no previous opponent had managed.
Mercado controlled the fight from the opening bell, using his speed, sharp combinations, and power punching to keep the 38-year-old Burgos on the defensive, hesistant to want to trade. The 24-year-old prospect repeatedly found openings with clean shots and quickly established himself as the stronger and more explosive fighter.
The end came in the second round when Mercado dropped Burgos twice, including with a crushing left hook. Burgos was unable to recover from the sustained attack, prompting the referee to halt the contest and award Mercado the knockout victory.
With the win, Mercado improved to 19-0 with 18 knockouts. Burgos fell to 36-9-3 and suffered the first stoppage loss of his career.
After the fight, Mercado turned his attention toward bigger names, calling out undefeated WBO lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson during his post-fight interview.
Mercado’s performance came against one of the most experienced opponents of his career and extended his unbeaten record to 19-0.
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Last Updated on 2026/06/19 at 10:24 PM
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