Former Top Heavyweight Contender Bernardo Mercado Dies of Cardiac Arrest at 69

Former Prime Heavyweight Contender Bernardo Mercado Dies of Cardiac Arrest at 69

By Robert Brizel, Head Actual Fight Media Boxing Correspondent

 Former primary heavyweight contender Bernardo Mercado of Columbia, who knocked out Trevor Berbick and Earnie Shavers to achieve the quantity heavyweight contender place in March 1980, solely to lose to Leon Spinks and Randall Cobb, after which fade from public recognition, has died in his native Columbia at age 69 of cardiac arrest, on Saturday, June 12, 2021.

Mercado rose up within the heavyweight ranks as a sparring associate of the late legendary heavyweight contender Oscar Bonavena, a giant identify within the heavyweight division within the Sixties and Nineteen Seventies. Mercado misplaced twice early in his profession to future world heavyweight champions John Tate and Mike Weaver. Then, Mercado received two main bouts. A primary spherical knockout win over then undefeated Trevor Berbick, a future world heavyweight champion, in April 1979 in Halifax, Canada, propelled Mercado into the world heavyweight scores. In March 1980, Mercado got here off the canvas within the third spherical to drop after which cease former prime contender Earnie Shavers within the seventh spherical in McAfee, New Jersey, in a Howard Cosell commentary ABC Sports activities televised upset shocker.

The victory over Shavers propelled Mercado into the primary heavyweight contender place within the worldwide scores, and put Mercado in place to probably get a combat with both World Boxing Council World Heavyweight champion Larry Holmes, or the comebacking former World Heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali. Nonetheless, Mercado acquired stopped within the ninth spherical in October 1980 of a World Boxing Council eliminator for a shot at then World Heavyweight champion Larry Holmes by former World Heavyweight champion Leon Spinks at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. A ten spherical loss to heavyweight contender Randall “Tex” Cobb in November 1980 on the Civic Enviornment in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ended Mercado’s possibilities.

Over the following eight years, Mercado received six minor comeback bouts over lesser undistinguished opponents, earlier than getting knocked out in Australia by a future heavyweight contender, the late Jimmy Thunder, then undefeated, in December 1989. Mercado then retired at age 37. Together with Thunder, Mercado combined it with 4 former or future world champions, and three world ranked contenders. A local of Monteria, Columbia, between 1975 and 1989, Mercado’s profession report as an expert was 33-5 with 28 knockouts.

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Robert Brizel – Head Boxing Correspondent

Robert is the Head Boxing Correspondent for Actual Fight Media Boxing since 2013. Robert can also be a photographer and ringside reporter for the RCM Tri State area which incorporates NJ, NY and PA. Robert conducts unique interviews, offers historic boxing articles and offers editorial ringside protection of main boxing occasions. You possibly can contact or observe Robert on Fb and by e mail at [email protected].