The untelevised undercard has been announced for the Salita Promotions event on Saturday, July 27th at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. DAZN will broadcast the show, which features undisputed world middleweight champion Claressa Shields’ historic challenge for the WBC women’s heavyweight (175 pounds +) championship against Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse, a ten-round junior welterweight co-feature pitting Michel “La Zarza Ali” Rivera against Hugo Alberto “Nato” Roldan and power-punching former title challenger Shohjahon “Descendant of Tamerlane” Ergashev taking on Julian “The Quiet Storm” Smith in another ten-round junior welterweight contest.
Headlining the non-televised portion of the night will be a another ten-round junior welterweight contest between Ernesto “Tito” Mercado (15-0, 14 KOs) of Pomona, CA, and Hector Edgardo “Pajarito” Sarmiento (21-2, 14 KOs) from Cordoba, Argentina. A fan-friendly fighter, Mercado is an aggressive, yet poised, boxer-puncher who was voted BoxingScene.com’s 2023 Prospect of the Year. Comparing his mindset to the (the late) former champion Edwin Valero, Mercado says he’s an old-school fighter who is not interested in looking pretty and wants to “take his opponents’ heads off.”
Mercado already has three victories under his belt this year, including stopping then 19-6-2 Cristian Bielma in February and taking out Colombian veteran Deiner Berrio (then 22-4-1) in April.
“I know he has experience,” said Mercado of upcoming opponent Sarmiento. “In his last fight, he went the distance with Denys Berinchyk from Ukraine, who is now a world champ at 135 pounds after beating Emanuel Navarrete. So, you know he’s a tough guy. He’ll pressure me to fight, and he throws very unorthodox punches, which will make it hard to counter him. I will have to be mindful and defensively sharp.”
The 22-year-old Mercado says he feels he’s closing in on a world-title shot and is looking forward to the exposure fighting in front of so many fans in Detroit can bring. “I feel like I’m ready to fight for a world title right now. With the experience I’ve been getting, it shouldn’t be too long. I’m also very excited to fight in front of such a big audience. Getting the recognition of being in these big fights motivates me in the gym. I can’t wait and I hope to make a lot of new fans that night.”
In an eight-round women’s junior welterweight test, Samantha Worthington (8-0, 6 KOs) will put her undefeated record on the line against Budapest, Hungary’s Edina Kiss (16-20, 9 KOs). From Folsom, California, via Lexington, Kentucky, Worthington, the first fighter to ever sign with Claressa Shields’ T-Rex Promotions, finished her amateur career with 36 wins (14 losses), including five national championships, a bronze at the Youth World Championships, and a fifth-place finish at the Olympic Trials for the 2016 Olympics. Thus far as a pro, Worthington has gone undefeated at 8-0, 6 KOs and was last seen scoring a near-shutout unanimous decision over Yazmin Rivas in front of her home-state fans in Kentucky last January.
“I am so grateful for this opportunity!” said Worthington. “Claressa has believed in me since the amateurs, so it is extremely special to have her backing me now in the pros. And I know that being able to fight on this stage is going to put the world on notice and let the super lightweight division know I’m here to dominate! Edina Kiss is a veteran of the sport and I’m so excited to display my skills against someone who has shared the ring with some of the greats! Training has been going great and I’m ready to show everyone that I deserve to be here.”
In a six-round junior middleweight battle, Dearborn Heights, Michigan’s Husam "Lion Heart" Al Mashhadi (9-1, 8 KOs) will take on Buenos Aires Bruno Leonardo Romay (22-13, 19 KOs). Al Mashhadi is a 21-year-old southpaw with an entertaining fighting style who was last seen taking out 58-fight Colombian trialhorse Daulis Prescott in one round at Wayne State Fieldhouse, Detroit in March of last year.
“I feel really blessed to get this opportunity in my hometown at Little Caesars Arena. It’s a big deal and I’m looking forward to it,” said Al Mashhadi. “I know my opponent is from Argentina and a veteran with a lot of fights. He’s coming to fight and give me a run for my money, so I’m training hard to ready for him. This will be the first southpaw I fight in the pros, so I’m sparring Ardreal Holmes and a lot of other tough southpaws to get ready.”
In a six-round featherweight showdown, Pontiac, Michigan’s Cameran “The Problem” Pankey (9-1, 4 KOs) will take on Mooresville, North Carolina’s Shaileik Paisley (4-4, 3 KOs). Pankey is a 25-year-old slugger who was last seen putting on the fight of the night in his first career loss against Mexico’s Juan Hernandez Martinez via razor-thin six-round decision at Wayne State Fieldhouse, Detroit in February of last year.
“Training is going great,” said Pankey. “I’m hitting harder than ever before and I’m in tip-top shape. I could go 12 rounds today. I know this opponent has never been stopped, but I feel I will be the first to do it.”
Also featured that night will be an eight-round female heavyweight fight between Houston, Texas’ undefeated Danielle Perkins (4-0, 2 KOs) and Scotland’s Christianne Fahey (2-1, 2 KOs), as well as an exciting all-Detroit six-round junior middleweight scrap between Gordie Russ II (6-1, 6 KOs) and Josiah Shackleford (3-1, 2 KOs).
“We have a stacked undercard featuring top local, national, and international talent,” said event promoter, Dmitriy Salita. “All eyes will be on Detroit at Little Caesars Arena on July 27th, when some of the best boxers in the world look to take the next important step in their careers. Our goal is to be inclusive and work with everyone to give boxing fans the most exciting events, and this card is a testament to that mission statement.”
