MERCITO GESTA HAS GOLDEN CHANCE AGAINST MIGUEL VASQUEZ (WEIGH-IN PHOTOS)
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 09 Dec 2012
LAS VEGAS, Nevada - Undefeated Filipino Mercito Gesta of Cebu (on the left) weighed-in 134 lbs while champion Miguel "Titere" Vasquez of Guadalajara, Mexico, scaled-in 135 lbs ahead of their battle for the IBF Lightweight world crown today at the MGM Grand Arena here in Las Vegas, Nevada.
It will be Mercito Gesta's golden opportunity to give the glory of another major title in boxing to his country, the Philippines, but the task might not be easy as Miguel Vasquez is a talented fighter with experience, speed and skills; and is 3 inches taller than the popular Mandaue-born Cebuano (see photos).
The Vasquez-Gesta battle appears to be a classic encounter of the aggressive strong hard-hitting boxer in Gesta (26-0-1, 14KO's) against the elusive, fast moving, jab throwing Miguel Vasquez (32-3-13KO's), a Mexican boxer who has fought two of the best fighters in the middle divisions like reigning world champions Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and Timothy Bradley.
Vasquez lost to "Canelo" (twice) and Bradley by points. However, none of them, not even the heavy-handed "Canelo," managed to stagger Vasquez nor caught him with a solid punch that could have knock him down to the canvas. That did not happen.
FIGHT ANALYSIS
Mercito will have to go forward pressing the action scoring meaningful blows, especially to Vasquez's mid-section that would slow him down and cut his ring with correct positioning, trying to block Vasquez's escape routes. This pattern is a must as the Cebuano kid, who has been living in California for five years, is the shorter fighter with considerable less reach.
On the other hand, Vasquez will have to fight the same way he usually does, at a distance, using his jab, moving and scoring based on speed, accuracy and speed of hands and legs; never being on the ropes or in a corner. Plus, Vasquez must have a perfect timing for scoring his combinations right on target. Of course always at the distance without risking being caught by a good "merciless" blow.
The outcome could be similar to the recent fight of Abner Mares and Anselmo Moreno.
Mercito's style similar to Abner's way of fighting and Moreno's ring stance similar to that of Vasquez.
Will Mercito Gesta be able to exert and effective pressure over Vasquez in same fashion as Abner did to outpoint Moreno?
Tonight's fight against the southpaw Mercito Gesta will be Vasquez's 5th world title defense of the title he won by outclassing Korean Ji-Hoon Kim in August of 2010.
Both Mercito Gesta and Miguel Vasquez are in the prime of their boxing careers and physical prowess, both fighters 25 years of age. It will be an interesting fight worth watching.
OFFICIALS
IBF officials for the Vasquez-Gesta IBF lightweight world title 12-round fight are:
Referee: Mr. Robert Byrd of Las Vegas. Judges Ms. Patricia Morse Jarman of Las Vegas, Ms. C.J. Ross of Las Vegas and Mr. John McKaie of New York.
Ms. C.J. Ross was one of the judges who scored in favor of Timothy Bradley in his title fight against Manny Pacquiao.
Writing and Photos by Carlos Costa
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
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