Matchroom continues to reload its U.S. stable.

The global promotional outfit announced its recent signing of blue-chip prospect Ernesto ‘Tito’ Mercado. The 22-year-old junior welterweight was on hand during the Aug. 31 Diego Pacheco-Maciej Sulecki DAZN show in Carson, California. Both parties confirmed the partnership.

“Definitely on track for superstardom,” Matchroom chairman Eddie Hearn said of his latest signing. “Fight news incoming for Tito. Big things coming!”

Mercado (16-0, 15 knockouts) was theleading candidate for 2023 Prospect of the Year, and theaward winner for BoxingScene.com. He fought and won five times on the year to earn those accolades.

The year saw his lone distance fight, a lopsided ten-round victory over Xolisani Ndongeni last July 8 in Managua, Nicaragua. Mercado racked up knockouts in his other four outings. He went into the seventh round for the first time before he put away Jose Angulo last February 4 in Ontario, California. That was followed by a first-round stoppage of former title challenger Hank Lundy last April.

A ten-round unanimous decision over Ndongeni was one and done as Mercado quickly resumed his knockout ways. He turned heads with his second-round stoppage of durable and hard-hitting Jeremia Nakathila.

Three more knockout wins have graced his active 2024 campaign. Most recently, Mercado stopped Hector Sarmiento (21-3) in the third round on a July 27 DAZN show in Detroit, Michigan.

The entire run came without the benefit of a major promoter or televised platform behind him. That has changed exponentially. Mercado, trained and managed by his father ‘Neto’, now believes he has the muscle behind him to advance to the next level.

“Obviously to become world champion is every fighter’s dream,” Mercado told reporters during Saturday’s media scrum. “But I want to become a superstar.

“I want to build with Matchroom, get multiple titles, fight all over the world and conquer with Matchroom. That’s just my dream.”