Bernardo Mercado 'Columbian Heavyweight'

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Senor Pepe', Jun 5, 2012.


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  1. Senor Pepe'

    Senor Pepe' Boxing Junkie banned

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    Bernardo Mercado,,,,,

    With a small amount of Luck,,,,,,,,

    Could have been the WBC Heavyweight Champion.

    In September 1979, Earnie Shavers came within a 'whisker' of dethroning
    WBC Heavyweight Champion Larry Holmes.

    6-Months later, in March 1980, #1 WBC Earnie Shavers takes on 6' 4"
    28 year-old Columbian Heavyweight, #5 WBC Bernardo Mercado 24-2-0 (20 KO's).

    After getting clobbered, and then floored in Round 3, Bernardo gets up and
    then utilizes his strength to wear down the 'getting-old-fast' Shavers,
    and lets Earnie burn himself out.

    By the end of Round 6, Earnie was 'spent'.

    In Round 7, after a few moments, Mercado lands a couple of 'mediocre punches' on a
    off-balance Shavers, who falls backward to the canvas.

    An exhausted Earnie gets up, but is battered by Mercado, until Earnie is saved from
    further punishment at 0:41 of the 7th Round by Referee Paul Venti.

    It could have been for the WBC Heavyweight Championship.

    List of Champions, Bernardo Mercado fought;
    * John Tate
    * Mike Weaver
    * Trevor Berbick
    * Leon Spinks

    List of Ranked Contenders Bernardo Mercado fought;
    * Fili Moala 2x
    * Tony Pulu
    * Henry Clark
    * Earnie Shavers
    * Tom Prater
    * Randy Cobb

    April 3, 1979 (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
    Bernardo Mercado 21-2-0 (18 KO's) 'flattening' Trevor Berbick 11-0-0 (10 KO's) in the 1st Round.
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    Senor Pepe', Jun 5, 2012
    Senor Pepe', Jun 5, 2012
    #1
  2. TBooze

    TBooze Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Luck being either stuffing Senor Sulaimán with serious $$$'s, or the premature retirements of the top 20 or so finest Heavyweights of the late 70s/early 80s.
     
    TBooze, Jun 5, 2012
    TBooze, Jun 5, 2012
    #2
  3. D9Garrard

    D9Garrard Active Member Full Member

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    I think Pepe means that the fight with Shavers could have easily been scheduled as a WBC Eliminator/Title fight.

    I've told the story here before about seeing Tom Prater dismantle local heavy's at the Indianapolis PAL as a teenager and, not thinking much of Mercado as a contender, asking Prater's trainer Champ Chaney how Prater could lose to Mercado in Columbia. He said plainly that Prater took a deliberate dive both for the money and so "we could get out of there alive".
     
    D9Garrard, Jun 5, 2012
    D9Garrard, Jun 5, 2012
    #3
  4. TBooze

    TBooze Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I know what he meant, but come on we all know if my Aunt was my Uncle, I would of been World Heavyweight Champ, rather than some Cruiserweight alphabet title holder...;)
     
    TBooze, Jun 5, 2012
    TBooze, Jun 5, 2012
    #4
  5. ThinBlack

    ThinBlack Boxing Addict banned

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    Perfect tune-up for Cooney, and Dokes.
     
    ThinBlack, Oct 10, 2012
    ThinBlack, Oct 10, 2012
    #5
  6. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    We called him the Uncrowned King.
     
    Seamus, Oct 10, 2012
    Seamus, Oct 10, 2012
    #6
  7. SLAKKA

    SLAKKA Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Hard to believe he beat Berbeck in far greater fashion than Larry Holmes
    but with heavyweights anything can happen as the old saying goes.
     
    SLAKKA, Oct 12, 2012
    SLAKKA, Oct 12, 2012
    #7
  8. Titan1

    Titan1 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I could definitely see Bernardo giving Larry Holmes some problems in the ring, especially in the 1979-1980 time frame.
     
    Titan1, Sep 25, 2013
    Titan1, Sep 25, 2013
    #8
  9. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

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    Would love to see the Mercado-Berbick fight.
     
    Unforgiven, Sep 25, 2013
    Unforgiven, Sep 25, 2013
    #9
  10. TBooze

    TBooze Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Yeah I could see that too. Would Larry be able to get out of the way quick enough when Mercado does a Duran and falls face first after tasting some of Holmes' right hands? If not Bernado could of caused Holmes serious harm, as he collapses on him.
     
    TBooze, Sep 25, 2013
    TBooze, Sep 25, 2013
    #10
    Saintpat likes this.
  11. Titan1

    Titan1 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Indeed:rofl!
     
    Titan1, Sep 25, 2013
    Titan1, Sep 25, 2013
    #11
  12. HOUDINI

    HOUDINI Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Yes...Mercado was not a very good hwt.
     
    HOUDINI, Sep 25, 2013
    HOUDINI, Sep 25, 2013
    #12
  13. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    Senor Pepe was the best poster this forum ever saw.
     
    Seamus, Sep 25, 2013
    Seamus, Sep 25, 2013
    #13
    Saintpat likes this.
  14. SLAKKA

    SLAKKA Boxing Addict Full Member

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    wtf happened to him??
     
    SLAKKA, Sep 25, 2013
    SLAKKA, Sep 25, 2013
    #14
  15. LittleRed

    LittleRed Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Pepe was an unsung genius.
     
    LittleRed, Sep 25, 2013
    LittleRed, Sep 25, 2013
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