Bernardo Mercado was a Heavyweighter boxer who was briefly ranked as the number one contender for the title of champion in 1980 by the WBC. Mercado was born in Monteria, Colombia on July 16, 1953. Mercado was once a sparring partner for Argentinian Heavyweight Oscar Bonavena before turning professional on November 15, 1975. The 6'6 ft power puncher flattened his competition, winning his first twenty fights with seventeen of them being by way of knockout (nine inside of the first round). Early in the summer of 1978, Mercado lost a bout for the first time in his professional career to future champion "Big" John Tate. He went on to fight other future champions Mike Weaver and Trevor Berbick, knocking Berbick out in the first round of their meeting on April 3, 1979. In 1980, he earned a seventh round technical knockout over dangerous contender and multiple-time world title challenger Earnie Shavers and was ranked as the number one contender to Larry Holmes' WBC belt. He was defeated in an elimination bout with past champion Leon Spinks by 9 round TKO. He would go on to fight such name fighters as Randall "Tex" Cobb and Jimmy Thunder (with whom he fought in his last bout on December 8, 1989). His professional ring record stands at 34 victories (29 by way of knockout) and 5 loses in 39 contests.