Ernesto Mercado says to 'expect a knockout'
The junior welterweight division is becoming one of the hottest weight classes in the sport. All of the big names from lightweight are moving up to 140 pounds, (Ryan Garcia, potentially Devin Haney, etc), which will make for some exciting matchups heading into 2024. While the more prominent names are making moves, the young prospects are building up their resume so that one day they could get their shot. One of those up-and-coming fighters is 21-year-old Ernesto ‘Tito’ Mercado (10-0, 10 KOs) who was raise in Pomona, CA and is ready to become the next hot prospect at 140 lbs.
While living in Pomona, Mercado was surrounded by gang violence and drug use, which isn’t ideal for a kid trying to figure life out. His father was involved in street life activities too, so Mercado didn’t spend as much time with him as he wanted. Seeing how distant he was from his father during that time motivated him to avoid that lifestyle and focus on what he loved most, boxing.
Mercado’s relationship with his father took a turn in a positive way once he started fighting in the amateurs. They had what Mercado described as a “friend type of relationship,” which meant plenty of time together in and out of the gym. Mercado told FanSidedMMA, “Whether I went Pro or not, we did it to keep ourselves together. Once I turned Pro, yea, it became a business thing, but my dad started to see me as my own man. Once we get in the gym or are talking about business, we know how to distinguish ourselves. It’s been great as we know how to play our roles and which cap to put on when necessary.”
Ernesto 'Tito' Mercado & his Father have a youth program called 'Gangs to Grace' in Pomona, CA
Boxing saved Mercado's relationship with his father and created something special between them. Their experience with each other led them to establish a youth program in Pomona called “Gangs to Grace.” It’s a boxing gym founded by Mercado’s father with the help of a local church. The mission statement for the program reads, “Gangs to Grace gym is dedicated to empowering young people to lead healthy, fulfilling lives. Through boxing lessons, fitness training, and mentorship programs, we provide a supportive and inclusive environment where young people can build their self-esteem, discipline, and character. Our mission is to help young people develop the skills and confidence they need to succeed in all areas of life.” It's a program that is important not only to Mercado and his father but also to the residents of Pomona.
The connection between father and son doesn’t stop with “Gangs to Grace,” as his father has his promotional imprint, “Fight City Promotions,” that Mercado fights under but has the flexibility of doing other things since he is a free agent. Having that flexibility has allowed Mercado to become one of the most active fighters in the sport, as he aims to fight six-seven times a year.
Mercado fights on Saturday in Nicaragua against Xolisani Ndongeni (31-2, 18 KOs), a tough veteran fighter from South Africa. His claim to fame is taking current undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney (30-0, 15 KOs) to the scorecards in 2019. Mercado told FanSidedMMA, “He’s a tough guy with an Ike Quartey type of style. I know he will be there for a few rounds with me. I need these types of fights to push me.”
Although the fight is in Nicaragua, these are familiar grounds as his father is from there, and Mercado spent some of his amateur days fighting for a spot on their national team. During one of the times he was there and after qualifying for the Nicaraguan Olympic Team, Mercado went to the Alexis Arguello gym to check it out and ran into boxing living legend Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez (51-4, 41 KOs). Mercado was in awe and would get invited to share the ring with the country’s biggest boxing star. “He happened to be there getting ready for his fight and asked if I wanted to get some rounds in with him,” said Mercado. “You’re not going to turn down sparring with a legend like that. So I threw my stuff on and went to work. It was dope man. He has so much experience, and being a little guy to move the way he does, he’s a great inside fighter. It was hard to be a fan and at the same time do my own thing (laughs). He’s a very humble guy, and at the time, being that I was qualified for the Nicaragua team, he told me I was going to be the first to bring home the gold medal.”
That is an experience of a lifetime, so Mercado holds that near and dear to his heart as he returns to Nicaragua now as a Pro to continue his rise as a prospect in the junior wleterweight division. So what should those in attendance expect on Saturday night? “I think my fans always find something new about me. I’m expecting to display my full boxing skills. Expect a knockout, as that is what I always shoot for.”
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