For unbeaten Filipino lightweight sensation Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta (18-0-1, 8KOs), its only a matter of time before he challenges for a world title. After capturing the vacant WBO NABO Youth lightweight title via a 4th round TKO over the game Oscar Meza earlier this year, Gesta feels that a full blown title shot is in his near future.
Photo by Raymond Rodriguez
“Yeah, I think that it is getting closer,” Gesta stated after a morning run. “People are starting to know me a little bit more and I think we are almost there. When it happens, I will be prepared.”
Gesta’s co-manager and chief second, Vince Parra, agrees with his his 22-year-old charge.
“I agree, the kid can just flat out fight,” he says enthusiastically. “He is what the fans want to see, a finisher, I think his time is coming but he’s patient.”
Before Gesta can take on the world, he must first impress against journeyman Genaro Trazancos (22-11-1, 13KOs) of Mexico City, MX, this Friday night at the Casino del Sol in Tucson, AZ, and televised nationally by Telefutura.
San Diego, CA’s Gesta by way of Cebu, PI, satisfied his growing legion of fans back in June when he stopped the tough Meza on a national television broadcast in only four rounds with a wicked body shot to the body that convinced his opponent not to come out for the fifth round.
“I didn’t expect it to end that fast. We were planning on learning his style, we wanted to take it slow,” Gesta said about his last opponent. “We knew the fight was twelve rounds but I caught him with an upper cut to the body which hurt him so we for it.”
With the win Gesta captured his first belt and although it wasn’t a major one, Gesta still felt proud to strap it around his waist.
Photo by Raymond Rodriguez
“It felt really good,” the always smiling Gesta says with a chuckle. “I was happy because it is my first belt. I was excited and really couldn’t believe it.”
What added to Gesta’s excitement was not only the thousands of fans that were getting to see him in all out action but that his family back home in his hometown of Cebu, Philippines, were also able to partake in the fireworks.
“They did see it, I told them in advance and they were able to see it on the internet,” Gesta added. “My whole family was watching it, including the neighbors.”
Even though his next opponent might not look great on paper, losing six of his last seven, Trazancos does represent one of the most experienced opponents Gesta has faced. Trazancos in his thirty-four fight career has traded leather with much more bigger names than Gesta such as Benoit Gaudet, Edwin Valero, Steven Luevano, Jose Miguel Cotto and Mike Dallas. Despite the 11 losses on his ledger, Gesta and his handlers know that Trazancos cannot be a man to be over looked.
“He’s not as tough if you just look at his record, I know this,” Gesta says seriously. “I need to watch his style, see what he is going to do. We can’t underestimate him because he can still punch but we are confident that we are going to win this fight.”
“We don’t over look anybody, we respect anybody that gets in the ring,” Parra echoes Gesta’s comment. “We wanted to stay busy and our promoter Don Chargin had this available so we took the fight. Don knows we want the belt and we are confident that he will get us the shot.”
With this Friday’s bout being televised by the all spanish language Telefutura, it marks the second fight in a row that Gesta is featured on a hispanic television station, a fact that doesn’t matter to Gesta since his main concern is to lace them up and perform.
“It doesn’t matter where the fight is at or on what channel,” Gesta stated. “I am just thinking of winning. I know that if I keep winning, I will get bigger fights until that championship fight. It doesn’t matter where they are at as long as I keep winning.”
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