GESTA NOT BOTHERED BY BARNETT?S HEIGHT ADVANTAGE
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 03 Aug 2012
Undefeated Mercito ?No Mercy? Gesta, the hard-hitting Filipino southpaw is not bothered by the height advantage of American Ty Barnett whom he battles on ESPN?s Friday Night Fights in Las Vegas on August 3 (Saturday in Manila).
At the official weigh-in for the lightweight main event on Top Rank?s ?The Future Is Now? fight card at the Dallas Event Venter at Texas Station Gambling Hall and Casino, Gesta tipped the scales at the agreed upon 137 pound limit while Barnett came in at 135 ? pounds.
Gesta?s trainer and co-manager Vince Parra told the Manila Standard that he was not bothered by the height advantage of Washington D.C?s Barnett because Gesta has been sparring with fighters who were 6 feet, 5?9? and 5? 10? tall to ?prepare for a strong guy but we feel we are the stronger guy and Mercito is looking forward to showcasing his talent on ESPN.?
Two of the primary sparring partners were junior middleweight prospect David Barragon and former All-Navy welterweight champion James Taylor. Parra described them as ?strong, big, tough kids.?
The trainer said Gesta had sparred about 90 rounds and has been ?looking sharp in his last few weeks of sparing where he went 10 and 12 rounds with three different guys with the lightest being a welterweight.?
Parra told us Gesta?s ?condition looks great. He?s been in the gym for a while. We had a couple of letdowns with the (Juan Manuel) Marquez fight falling through but hr?s stayed focused and did a lot of mountain running.?
Parra went on, ?I?m sorry to tell Mr. Barnett that Gesta has not overlooked him and he?s treating this as he would treat any of the top guys. So we are looking forward to an excellent performance.?
Parra revealed that Gesta?s father Anecito who joined his son in San Diego a couple of months ago has been ?a great help. He motivates Mercito. He is not a boxing guy per se because he?s a Muay Thai guy but he understands technique, combat and he understands pointing out weaknesses so he?s been a great motivating factor in the gym. He inspires him.?
Anecito Gesta himself told us he is ?very happy and doing well? since he joined his son in the US. He said ?his training has been very good and I?m happy because there are so many Pinoys here? (in San Diego where they live).
The 24 year old Gesta has a record of 25-0-1 with 13 knockouts and is coming off an 8th round TKO of Oscar Cuero whom he dropped in rounds 7 and 8 last April 14.
Barnett who is 29 is a couple of inches taller than Gesta and has a record of 20-2-1 with 13 knockouts.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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