Bernard Hopkins vs Segundo Mercado 2

On April 29, 1995, Bernard Hopkins and Segundo Mercado met for a second time to contest the vacant IBF Middleweight Title at the US Air Arena in Landover, Maryland. This rematch came just four months after their controversial draw in Quito, Ecuador, where Hopkins had suffered two knockdowns but managed to salvage a split-decision draw.

In stark contrast to their first encounter, Hopkins dominated the rematch from the outset. The official scorecards at the time of stoppage reflected his control, with judges John Stewart (60-53), Shiela Harmon Martin (59-55), and Robert Beeba Exton (59-55) all having Hopkins comfortably ahead.

The fight concluded at 1:10 of the seventh round when referee Rudy Battle stopped the contest, awarding Hopkins a TKO victory. This win marked a significant milestone in Hopkins' career, finally making him a world champion in his third attempt at the IBF middleweight title.

Hopkins' journey to this point had been challenging. He had previously lost a unanimous decision to Roy Jones Jr. in May 1993 in his first attempt at the vacant IBF title. The draw against Mercado in their first bout, where Hopkins had to overcome two knockdowns, had further delayed his championship aspirations.

The decisive victory over Mercado secured Hopkins his first world title and set the stage for his historic run in the middleweight division. Following this win, Hopkins went on to defend the IBF title a division-record 20 times, establishing himself as one of the most dominant middleweights in boxing history.