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SWEET REVENGE:
PERALTA MONSTERS MERCADO,
QUALIFIES FOR WORLD RANKING TOURNEY
Thursday 12 September 2002
Tonight the boxing public was unanimously focused on the big IBL fight card in Connecticut, but a Heavyweight Boxing Federation bout was taking place at the same time in Bogota, Colombia. It was the final of the South American Boxing League tournament between hometwon hero Bernardo Mercado and the #1-seeded Argentinian Gregorio Peralta.
Mercado had scored an upset win over Peralta back in April but tonight the Argentine had his revenge, Peralta scoring a dominant eight round unanimous decision victory (80-71, 79-72, 80-71) to qualify for the HBF's upcoming World Ranking tournament.
The Colombian was the 5th seed in the league and surprisingly made his way through the preliminary rounds with a perfect 5-0 record, but his fortune ran out tonight as Peralta put on a clinic. After an explosive opening round it appeared that Mercado might have a chance but when Peralta floored him with a flurry of shots late in round three any such thoughts were extinguished. Peralta kept his foot in place for the remainder of the contest, with the Colombian winning just a single round on all three scorecards combined.
Punch totals
Peralta: 265/470 (56.4%)
Mercado: 99/351 (28.2%)
Peralta's victory improves his record to 6-1 while Mercado fell to 5-1-1. Peralta joins Harry Wills, Terone Haynes and the Irishman Artuir Claffey as feeder league tournament champions and qualifiers into the World Ranking tournament...
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING FEDERATION FIGHT CARD
THURSDAY 12 SEPTEMBER 2002
ESTADIO EL CAMPIN, BOGOTA, COLOMBIA
THE SOUTH AMERICAN BOXING LEAGUE
TOURNAMENT FINAL
MAIN EVENT - TOURNAMENT FINAL
(1) Gregorio Peralta UD8 (5) Bernardo Mercado
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