'Tito' Mercado signs with DMG Promotions for local activity, big-fight reach
Jun 3, 2026 • 4:17 PM ET
Cris Esqueda / MatchroomUnbeaten Ernesto “Tito” Mercado has signed a promotional deal with Southern California-based DMG Promotions, a move the 24-year-old 140lbs fighter believes will keep him busy and position him for a title run.
Mercado 18-0 (17 KOs), of Pomona, California, is scheduled to return June 19 at his hometown Fox Theater.
Ranked No. 5 by the WBO and No. 8 by the IBF, Mercado last fought on DAZN for prior promoter Matchroom in December, knocking out veteran Mexican opponent Antonio Moran in the sixth round.
His next opponent has yet to be announced, but Mercado has remained training and fit and predicted he will look “super sensational.
‘I’m itching to get back and hungry to get in the ring again, having a homecoming fight,” Mercado told BoxingScene Wednesday.
“We’re ready to fight the best guys now. It’s one step at a time. I’ll be busy, and we have big plans coming forward.”
Mercado has previously called out four-division champion Shakur Stevenson, who wears the WBO 140lbs belt and is reportedly near a union with Zuffa Boxing.
Mercado would also like a crack at WBO No. 2 ranked Emiliano Vargas.
His father-trainer-manager, Ernesto Mercado Snr., said aligning with a Southern California promoter met their immediate goals to fight locally with the flexibility to work with major promotions as the quality of the fights increase.
He declined to discuss the financial terms or length of the deal.
“We want to be home grown, not a road warrior jumping around like a Ping-Pong ball,” Ernesto Mercado said.
Lance Pugmire has been a full-time boxing writer for nearly 20 years, serving now as BoxingScene’s U.S. Senior Writer and assistant producer for ProBoxTV’s “BoxingScene Today.” Pugmire capped a near 20-year career at the Los Angeles Times (sports investigations, NHL/MLB beat work, law enforcement/courts and boxing/UFC) to join The Athletic, and then USA Today. Pugmire’s stint at The Times started with the first Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez fight and the Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jnr then-record pay-per-view, leading through a slew of ringside assignments at major bouts, including Mayweather-Pacquiao, Mayweather-Canelo and the Canelo-Golovkin trilogy. Lance’s appreciation for boxing is rooted in his admiration and appreciation for the fighters, gladiators who have proven to be the most forthcoming and candid of all the athletes he has interviewed over a career dating to 1990. Lance was honored to be named the 2022 winner of the Boxing Writers Association of America Nat Fleischer Award for career excellence and he’s collected many BWAA writing awards in categories ranging from breaking news to deep-dive long features.
