In a tightly contested battle at Philadelphia's 2300 Arena, California welterweight Israel Mercado edged out local man Brandon Pizarro via majority decision. From the opening bell, Mercado made his intentions clear: relentless pressure, sharp punching, and smart footwork to neutralize the defending champion’s offense. Pizarro looked to dictate the pace, but Mercado managed the distance well and landed the cleaner, more effective shots throughout.

 

The fight remained close down the stretch, with both men having their moments. Pizarro ramped up the aggression in the later rounds, but Mercado stayed composed and answered back with crisp combinations that caught the judges’ attention. After ten hard-fought rounds, the scorecards read 96-94, 95-95, and 97-93 — a majority decision win for Mercado.

 

With the victory, Mercado improved his record to 13-1-2. “I knew it would be a tough fight, but I trained for this moment — and I made it happen,” he said post-fight.

 

Pizarro (20-2-1), clearly disappointed, didn’t make excuses. “It wasn’t my best night, but I’ll be back stronger,” he said, already eyeing a potential rematch.