The bar has already been set exceedingly high for Floyd Schofield Jr.

So far, so good.

The unbeaten lightweight prospect remained perfect as a pro, though he went deeper than ever before to claim his latest victory. It came in the form of a ten-round, unanimous decision win over Puerto Rico’s Alberto Mercado in their DAZN-aired co-feature Saturday evening at YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California.

Schofield scored a knockdown in round two but ultimately went the distance for the first time in more than a year.  Scores of 100-80 on all three scorecards validated the win for Schofield in his first career ten-round affair.

The bout opened at a measured pace, which displayed the poise of Schofield. The 20-year-old spent all of fight week absorbing high praise from co-promoter Oscar De La Hoya, whose Golden Boy Promotions entered an agreement with Cameron Davies last summer. The pressure to look spectacular did not affect the approach taken by the Austin native, who sized up Mercado in the opening round before truly letting his hands go in the ensuing rounds.

Schofield produced the bout’s first knockdown in round two. A right hand shot to the temple forced the Puerto Rican southpaw to the canvas. Mercado made it to his feet, cleared his head and even managed a straight left hand upstairs later in the round. Schofield was committed to his left hook to the body to set up his power punches. He landed a left hook upstairs but was overzealous in the follow-up as he pushed Mercado to the canvas.

Mercado rode out combinations from Schofield and even brushed off a jab to land a straight left hand in round three. Schofield’s head briefly snapped back before he regained his composure and controlled the tempo for the rest of the round.

Schofield switched back and forth between southpaw and conventional stance in round four. Mercado offered more movement but was pinned down long enough to get rocked by a right uppercut late in the round. Mercado staggered across the ring but was ultimately saved by the bell from having to endure additional punishment and a potential fight-ending blow.

Mercado showed his mettle in the middle rounds, though nothing in the way of a sustained offense. Schofield offered more movement and pure boxing in the second half of the fight. The jab was the weapon of choice as Schofield entered the seventh round for just the second time as a pro. The lone other occasion came in an eight-round decision win in October 2021.

Schofield was denied a knockdown call in round eight. A left hook landed across the chin of Mercado, who was already fighting through swelling around his right eye. It was ruled that Schofield’s forward momentum forced Mercado to the canvas, thus waved off as a push.

The bell to begin round nine marked uncharted territory for Schofield, who continued to come forward. He was denied two knockdowns in the round, including a left hook to the body late in the frame. Mercado pitched forward and appeared on the way down, as Schofield’s left hand guided him to the canvas. It was ruled a push, though Mercado was clearly hurt and was forced to clinch his way out of trouble.

Schofield (13-0, 10KOs) remained in pursuit of extending his current knockout streak throughout the tenth and final round. A one-two by Schofield drove Mercado (17-5-1, 4KOs) straight back, pinning the Puerto Rican on the ropes. Mercado used every last veteran trick to withstand the sequence and make it to the final bell.

Headlining the show, local favorite Alexis Rocha (21-1, 13KOs) of nearby Santa Ana faces Ghana’s George Ashie (33-5-1, 25KOs) in a scheduled twelve-round, welterweight contest.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for krikya360.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox