Fight City Promotions: Ernesto de Jesús Mercado vs. Henry Lundy & Daniel Cruz vs. José Zaragoza RBR

Ernesto de Jesús Mercado vs. Henry Lundy, 10 rounds @ super lightweight

 

This is for the NABA (or, North American Boxing Association) super lightweight title, Mercado's first defense after kayoing Puerto Rican brawler Jayson Vélez Jiménez for it last October. It would be a third North American title added into Lundy's collection to go along with his NABO and NABF - both over a decade ago.

This is the fight, btw, that Lundy had been scheduled for a couple of months ago when he signed to fight Adrien Broner in a contract violation that got him temporarily suspended and threatened with court action. So there's unfinished business here.

 

Tito Mercado has three inches of height and eighteen years of youth advantage over Hammerin' Hank.

 

Really interesting stuff here...Lundy has only been stopped thrice in 44 bouts, and Mercado has a perfect KO streak in his 9-0 (9) record.

 

Round 1

Mercado is stalking the much shorter man (by IMO more than just three inches) with a jab, stepping in spryly on his long and sprawled bent legs. Lundy is stepping to him, attempting to slip punches and flurry off the jab and leaping gazelle left hooks from a crouch. Mercado counters with a left hook catching him coming in and Lundy is hurt but grins it off. Mercado eases off slightly, resetting, still getting a feel out for Lundy. Body jabs from Lundy. Mercado sizzles him with a quick double jab on the forehead, snapping Lundy's neck back. Sudden powerful combo by Mercado, body and head, straights and hooks, Lundy down, ruled a slip, incorrectly. Lundy getting battered on the ropes, down again. He ate like a dozen unanswered fast/straight/hard punches. Lundy beats the count but gets bombarded again. Lundy tries holding but down again. Up, and Mercado enters behind a strong jab, now looping rights on the head, left hook on the liver. Lundy down a fourth time, (officially third), over.

TKO1!!

 

That was savage. Jury's out on just how good Mercado is, but 10-0 (10) with names like Lundy and Vélez under one's belt definitely puts you on the map at least.

Lundy needs to hang 'em up, though. That makes twice in a year and a half that he's been dusted off inside two rounds.

 

Lundy's leg got injured in there, the commentators are saying? Fell weird?