GESTA'S VICTORY TAKES HIM ONE STEP CLOSER TO A TITLE SHOT
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 16 Apr 2012
Undefeated Filipino southpaw Mercito ?No Mercy? Gesta scored an impressive 8th round TKO over Colombia?s Oscar Cuero and with the win took one step closer to a world title shot at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino on Sunday, Manila Time.
In a fight telecast on a delayed basis by ABS-CBN Studio 23, Gesta didn?t put on the spectacular showing most fight fans, especially Filipinos, wanted to see but he did look good with his hand-speed, good movement and vicious, explosive body shots.
The right hook to the body and an occasional cracking uppercut were the key to Gesta wearing down Cuero who did fight back on occasions, more out of instinct and pride than part of a game-plan and did catch Gesta with some solid overhand rights.
In the 2nd round Gesta nailed Cuero with an uppercut and followed up with two right hooks which former IBF light middleweight world champion Raul Marquez described as ?a very nice combination.? Marquez worked the fights alongside veteran Rich Marotta for HBO Sports where Gesta was making his debut.
Referee Robert Byrd cautioned Cuero several times for holding and spinning Gesta around which drew boos from the crowd and ultimately, out of frustration, slapped the Colombian with a one point deduction in the fifth round which Gesta finished with a flurry of combinations that hurt Cuero who was looking to survive as Gesta kept coming forward.
Gesta wobbled Cuero and then dropped him with a devastating right hook to the body in round seven but was admonished by trainer and assistant manager Vince Parra for showboating. In between rounds Parra told Gesta, ?No more dropping the hands that?s silly. Get serious on him, he is trying to bully his way through? to which Gesta responded positively.
Sensing he had Cuero for the taking, Gesta who had methodically broken down his opponent connected with another body shot and a left hook that grazed Cuero?s temple prompting Marquez to notice that ?Gesta is getting better every round.? The TV commentators said Gesta ?showed a little bit of everything ? speed, explosive power, good footwork? and the ability to switch from his regular southpaw stance to orthodox.
However, Marotta and Marquez said Gesta needs to work on his defense and although Marotta said it was ?a nice performance? they both felt he is not yet ready for a world title fight.
When Cuero went down for the second time at 1:38 of the 8th round and improved his record to 25-0-1, 13 KO?s his father Anecito Gesta whom Parra described as an asset in motivating Mercito and had helped work the corner was all smiles prompting the HBO team to state ?this is the first time we?ve seen him smile all week.?
Parra told the Manila Standard that Gesta?s father who is a Muay Thai expert and a boxer himself had ?done a great job.?
Cuero trained for over a month for the fight while Gesta had trained for over eight weeks in San Diego with a roster of top notch sparring partners including featherweight Aaron Garcia and two fine junior welterweights, undefeated Adrian Vargas and Mexican Emilio Bojorquez who has an impressive record of 19-1 with 13 knockouts.
Both men whom Gesta?s handlers have mentioned as possible opponents in a world title fight later this year ? three division world champion Juan Manuel Marquez and Brandon Rios won by decisions against separate opponents.
Marquez won a 12 round unanimous decision over Sergey Fedchenko of the Ukraine to claim the vacant WBO Interim junior welterweight title but couldn?t give over 22,000 fans at the New Arena in Mexico City the knockout they were looking for.
Rios who lost his chance for the second time to win a title by losing it on the scales, failing to make the lightweight limit, won a hugely controversial decision over Richard Abril of Cuba with Glenn Trowbridge scoring it 115-113 and Jerry Roth 116-112 for Rios and Adelaide Byrd having Abril the winner 117-111 which many who were watching the fight agreeing with Byrd?s scorecard.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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