One of the most promising prospects in boxing has been presented with an opportunity to make up for lost time January 25.

The Ring has learned junior welterweight knockout artist Ernesto “Tito” Mercado has agreed to oppose Puerto Rican gatekeeper Jose Pedraza on January 25 in Las Vegas. Mercado-Pedraza will part of a card DAZN will stream from The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan and feature undefeated super middleweights Diego Pacheco and Steve Nelson in the 12-round main event.

Mercado (16-0, 15 KOs), of Pomona, California, will take a step up in opposition, even though Pedraza is 35 and has an 0-3-1 record in his past four fights. Pedraza (29-6-1, 14 KOs) is a former IBF junior lightweight and WBO lightweight champ, but he was knocked out for the second time in his career in his last fight.

Pedraza also will end a long layoff that has lasted almost one year when he meets Mercado. He hasn’t boxed since lightweight contender Keyshawn Davis (12-0, 8 KOs, 1 NC) stopped him in the sixth round last February 8 at Mandalay Bay’s Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.

Neither Mercado nor Pedraza are ranked among The Ring’s top 10 junior welterweights.

The 23-year-old Mercado was scheduled to make his debut with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing on November 9 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

His 10-round fight with Mexican southpaw Jesus Saracho (14-2-1, 11 KOs) was canceled November 8 because Saracho couldn’t come close to making the contracted weight for their bout on the Jaron Ennis-Karen Chukhadzhian undercard. Saracho was subsequently suspended indefinitely by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission.