GESTA TALKS ABOUT SPECTACULAR TKO WIN
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 06 Jun 2010
Mercito ?No Mercy? Gesta showed just that when he busted power-punching Mexican hopeful Oscar ?Estudiante? Meza at the A La Carte Pavilion in Tampa, Florida Saturday morning Manila Time to win by a spectacular TKO as his opponent didn?t come out for the fifth round.
In a post fight conversation with Manila Standard Today, Viva Sports and Insidesports.ph Gesta said that the opening round was a feeling out round in which he wanted to see what Meza had and how hard he hit but realized by the second round that ?I could handle him.?
Gesta said when Meza tried to work inside he caught him with some stinging body shots and dropped him in the third round before cracking him with some vicious right hooks in round four that staggered the Mexican who didn?t go down but clutched his mid-section as he went to his corner and didn?t come out for the fifth round.
Gesta said ?I knew I hurt him especially with my right which is strong? even as he said that Meza may have been weakened by having to lose some pounds to make the 135 pound limit. He said his corner-men headed by co-manager Vince Parra told him to work the body and the tactic paid off handsomely.
The likeable, soft-spoken southpaw said that after ?a small celebration I will check on my next scheduled fight and get back to the gym.? Gesta said that with the win he was confident he would break into the world rankings.
Gesta told us he was able talk to his parents Anecito and Mercedes Gesta in Mandaue who were very happy over his victory.
Parra said Gesta ?has been taught very well by his father and coach Carl Penalosa? even as he said he was ?very happy for him. This is a first step to bigger things. He followed the game plan and he did well. We have only seen about 90 percent of what he is capable of. We are very proud of this kid.?
Longtime cut-man and friend Stephen Luna revealed that when he was a young man Gesta was a muay thai fighter and is ?very strong and brave.? Luna who was in the US navy became a licensed nurse after he retired and took Gesta into his home along with Penalosa.
Luna said the southpaw had ?power in both the right and left hands.? He reported that after jabbing in the early stages of the fight Gesta unleashed three-punch combinations because Meza ?had to lose several pounds and we knew he was weak and so we asked Mercito to keep the pressure. Gesta dropped him in round three and he (Meza) was saved by the bell.?
Luna said Gesta nailed Meza ?with combinations to the body and head and he was staggered and groggy more than once in round four? stating that in his opinion ?the referee should have stopped the fight.?
Gesta had told us before the fight that he wanted an impressive win before coming home to visit his family. He achieved what he wanted with a smashing victory over the feared Meza who had a record of 17 knockouts in 19 wins and 3 losses going into the fight.
It was the biggest win of Gesta?s unbeaten career and earned him his first title ? the vacant WBO Americas lightweight belt and stretched his run to 18-0 with 8 knockouts..
Aware that Meza was a big puncher Gesta told Viva Sports before the fight that ?in the early rounds I will not engage in close-in exchanges but size him up and test his power and then try to out-box him. But if there is a chance for a knockout, I will go for it.?
Like all fighters Gesta said ?my one dream is to become a world champion so people will know me and my family will be proud of me. Since I was a kid (in the city of Mandaue, Cebu) my father dreamed of my becoming a world champion.?
Gesta said he has trained long for the Meza fight because a previously scheduled bout had been called off and he only took a break of one week before getting back into the gym, first at the Wild Card Gym of Freddie Roach in Los Angeles in April and then in San Diego where he lives.
Parra earlier told us he was pleased with Gesta?s preparation to move up a notch and face Meza and pointed out that Gesta was ?peaking at the right time. He is right on track and looking really good.?
Parra told us he has ?a good understanding of Mercito?s style and we will make sure not to change anything. He is a very well-schooled kid and all we ever do is push him to work hard and as a team we are real confident we are going to get through this and when things are worked out Carl will definitely be back.?
Asked what he believes Gesta has going for him against a puncher like Meza, Parra replied ? his boxing ability, his instincts and his hand-speed. He?s ready for this.?
Gesta is coming off an impressive eight round unanimous decision over the experienced Cristian Favela last February 25 in a rematch after Gesta won their first encounter in a shutout in 2008.
The Filipino also scored a big 1st round TKO over promising Alain Hernandez on May 21, 2009 and then came through with a 3rd round TKO over Devarise Crayton on July 10, 2009.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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