Ernesto “Tito” Mercado (15-0, 14 KOs) kept his unbeaten streak alive, dismantling Deiner Berrio (22-5-1, 13 KOs) in a one-sided brawl, snagging the WBA North American Gold Super Lightweight Title at BOX FEST VIII in Houston. Mercado, just 22, schooled the 33-year-old Berrio, who barely fired back, opting for a tight guard instead. After three rounds of relentless pressure from Mercado, Berrio couldn’t muster the will to continue, quitting on his stool.
“Tito” wasn’t impressed with Berrio’s lackluster effort, voicing his frustration post-fight. “He came to mess around,” Mercado blasted. “He quit. I wanted to put on a show, and I did my part.”
Now, Mercado’s gunning for the big sharks in the 140-pound division, eyeing a showdown with Issac “Pitbull” Cruz. “I’m ready for the world champions, the top-contenders,” Mercado asserted.
In the co-main event, Carlos “Action” Jackson (20-1, 13 KOs) claimed a TKO win over Alexis Bastar (18-2-1, 9 KOs), who couldn’t continue due to a hand injury. The fight saw its fair share of drama, with Jackson being penalized for low blows but managing to floor Bastar twice.
Oscar Perez (9-0-2, 6 KOs), another local hero, outclassed Jeremiah Lewis-Watts (3-2-1, 1 KO) over six rounds, despite a hand injury. The unanimous decision win further cemented his status as one to watch.
Kicking off the main card, 19-year-old Adrian Serrano (3-0-1) edged out a majority decision against Luis Gerardo (1-3) in a four-round scrap that had the crowd on its feet.
Shawn Porter, alongside Corey Erdman, delivered the commentary, with Lupe Contreras announcing and Sofia Gutierrez reporting from ringside. Catch the full replay on DAZN to relive the action.