Another notch in the win column for Ernesto “Tito” Mercado tonight in the main event of a Red Owl Boxing show in Houston, Texas, where he earned a TKO-4 victory over Deiner Berrio.
Mercado (15-0, 14 KO) came to fight, but did most of his work against the equivalent of a heavy bag with legs. Berrio (22-5-1, 13 KO) spent the entire affair in what could generously be called a consistently tight guard, seldom throwing anything at all back towards Mercado.
Commentary was less generous, bluntly asking whether Berrio’s approach had any relationship to how he trains to fight. And, if so, what exactly had he trained himself to do? If it was a strategy to wear out the younger fighter and seize on opportunities late in the fight, we never got there to see it. Mercado predicted a 3rd round finish, and Berrio did retire on his stool after that 3rd round ended. Officially, the result was announced as a TKO ten seconds into Round 4.
Not a lot to take from this one given the lack of resistance Mercado faced. But, if you’re looking for encouraging signs, this was the first and only time Berrio has been stopped before the distance. He went a full 10 rounds his last time out against Jose Valenzuela, another talented young fighter with good power.
And, if you really want a silver lining? If Mercado washes aggressively with the shower puff in the locker room, it might rough him up worse than what he felt from any of Berrio’s punches tonight. Mercado already has 11 wins in just under two years, and nothing that happened tonight should impact another quick return to the ring.
Carlos Jackson TKO-5 Alexis Bastar
Oddball stuff in the chief support, where Carlos Jackson notched a TKO after multiple point deductions seemingly had him on the verge of a disqualification.
Jackson (20-1, 13 KO) lost two points in a single round for low blows, which were legit to a degree, but sold with Razzie Award-worthy performances by Alexis Bastar. Bastar (18-3-1, 9 KO) tried to sell a head clash in the clinch with a soccer flop in the next round, but the ref rang him up for a knockdown instead.
Bastar finished the round, but didn’t get off the stool for the next because of what color commentator Shawn Porter said was a hand injury.
Other results:
- Oscar Perez UD-6 Jeremiah Lewis-Watts (57-56, 58-55, 59-54)
- Adrian Serrano MD-4 Luis Gerardo (38-38, 39-37, 40-36)