Yamileth Mercado

Yamileth Mercado, known as “Yeimi,” was born on March 16, 1998, in Ciudad Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua, Mexico. She is one of Mexico’s most successful female fighters. Mercado began boxing at the age of ten, inspired by legendary Mexican fighters such as Jackie Nava. Growing up in a modest household, she encountered limited opportunities in the amateur ranks due to a lack of female competition.

Mercado turned professional at just 16 years old. Her pro debut occurred on July 19, 2014, where she secured a unanimous decision win over Yoatzin Meraz in Nuevo Casas Grandes. After achieving early victories, including knockouts against Karla Valenzuela and Estefania Talamantes in 2015 and back-to-back wins over Diana Gutierrez in 2016, Mercado stepped up in competition. In March 2017, she faced Jessica Arreguin Munoz for the vacant WBC FECOMBOX title but lost by unanimous decision after ten rounds. Undeterred, she bounced back with strong performances and eventually earned a shot against Fatuma Zarika for the WBC super-bantamweight world title in 2018. Although she lost that close fight, Mercado grew from the experience.

She captured her first major title on February 16, 2019, defeating Alys Sanchez by unanimous decision to claim the WBC International title. Later that year, on November 16, she avenged her earlier loss by outpointing Fatuma Zarika over ten rounds, becoming the WBC world super-bantamweight champion. Since then, Mercado has successfully defended her title several times, defeating Mariana Juárez in 2022, Kudakwashe Chiwandire in March 2023, Paulette Valenzuela in August 2023, and Linda Laura Lecca in April 2024. Most recently, she defended her title against Ramla Ali on June 29, 2024, winning by a dominant unanimous decision.

In August 2021, Mercado moved up in weight to face Amanda Serrano in a high-profile bout for the WBC, WBO, and IBO featherweight titles. Although she lost that fight, it showcased her tenacity. Following that, a forthcoming matchup could determine the undisputed super-bantamweight champion and further solidify Mercado’s legacy as one of Mexico’s great champions, alongside legends like Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez, Antonio Barrera, and Julio César Chávez Sr.

Mercado initiates many sequences with a probing jab, slipping to the side before unleashing a hard right hand or hooks to the body. She layers head-body variations that wear opponents down. In tight exchanges, she finishes with short uppercuts or hooks, keeping her elbows tucked to maintain defense and power.

Her signature combination often starts with a jab to the head, followed by a right cross, and ending with a left hook to the body. Against Paulette Valenzuela, she backed her opponent to the ropes, delivering overhand rights and body hooks with measured intensity. In her defense against Isis Vargas, she maintained a high volume of punches, relentlessly using snapping jabs, right hooks, and lefts to the body.

Yamileth “Yeimi” Mercado carries the weight of Mexican boxing tradition with calculated pride, learning from the greats who came before her—Julio César Chávez Sr., Antonio Barrera, and Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez. From Chávez, she absorbed the relentless forward pressure; like Barrera, she thrives in brutal toe-to-toe exchanges, always displaying craft by cutting angles and stepping around to regain center control. From Canelo, she has learned to remain calm in the storm, maintaining a tight defensive posture. Her jab, head feints, pivot hooks, and controlled stance reflect a modern blend of old-school grit and new-era strategy. Mercado is not just fighting in the shadow of Mexico’s greats; she is actively extending their legacy and writing her own place in that lineage.