Ernesto Mercado vs Alfredo Rodolfo Blanco
Undefeated lightweight rising star, Ernesto “Tito” Mercado (6-0, 6 KOs), has an opponent for his August 25th date, as he will square off against Alfredo Rodolfo Blanco (22-10, 11 KOs), from Pigue, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Mercado vs. Blanco, an 8-round co-main event bout, will take place at The Hangar in Costa Mesa, CA, a show promoted by Roy Englebrecht Promotions.
Mercado, who had an astonishing amateur record of 280 (W) -11 (L), is one of the top prospects in boxing. In only his seventh clash as professional, he will be fighting in his first 8-round bout.
“Right now, I feel I’m ready to step up to 8-round bouts,” stated Mercado, who will be walking into the ring with Pomona, CA, rapper, Sugar Free, who hails from theTito's hometown. “I’m hoping to go some rounds in this fight, but of course if I get my opponent hurt, I’m going for the knockout. I want to send a message to the entire lightweight division, that I’m coming for them all. A lot of big names that are now pros, avoided me in the amateurs, so every time I step in the ring, I’m making a statement.”
Riding a 6-fight knockout steak to start his career, Mercado feels he’s rapidly making a name for himself, especially in the Southern California boxing scene. All of Mercado's fights have taken place in SoCal, and his explosive knockouts have made him a local fan favorite.
“Our plan from the beginning was to build Tito’s brand in the Southern California market,” said Ernesto Mercado Sr., who is the head trainer for his son. “We’ve been blessed to have had all our fights take place in the Los Angeles area. Right now, we are free agents, which allows us to fight regularly on our terms. Blanco is a durable fighter with a lot of experience, and we hope to continue our path to a world title with another knockout.”