His most recent outing came in December, when Mercado knocked out veteran Antonio Moran in the sixth round to capture the WBO International title. The victory extended his streak of stoppage victories and helped move him up the rankings of the sanctioning body, where he is now the no. 7 position at the WBO and no. 8 in the IBF.
Those placings give Mercado a foothold in a division that currently includes multiple champions and a deep group of contenders chasing title opportunities. Fighters climbing through the ranks often have to wait for openings as the belts circulate between established names and scheduled defenses.
Shakur Stevenson currently holds the WBO title at 140 pounds after defeating Teofimo Lopez earlier this year, while Richardson Hitchins controls the IBF belt. Other contenders continue to jockey for position as the division gradually sorts out its next round of championship battles.
Mercado has pushed his name toward that group of fighters over the past year. The California native has mentioned several of the division’s top names in interviews and has made it clear that his goal is to secure a world title fight in the next phase of his career.
Mercado fights aggressively and has stopped 17 of his first 18 opponents.
Promotional support can also affect how quickly those opportunities arrive. Mercado fights under the Matchroom banner, giving promoter Eddie Hearn another undefeated contender to move through the crowded 140-pound picture as the division’s title fights continue to roll.
At 23, Mercado is one of the younger contenders starting to move into the title picture at super lightweight.
For now, the focus remains on continuing the winning streak that got him here. If the performances continue and the title picture starts moving later this year, Mercado could soon find himself sharing the ring with one of the champions he’s been targeting for the past year.
