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Philippines, 17 Mar 2026 |
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GESTA PREPS HARD FOR MOLINA CLASH By Rich Mazon PhilBoxing.com Mon, 20 Apr 2015  Two days before Manny Pacquiao battles Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the Fight of The Century, another Pinoy warrior will figure in his own important career fight in the United States. Mercito Gesta (28-1-1, 16 KOs) will make his Golden Boy Promotions and 2015 debut and a return to the ring in almost 10 months against Carlos Molina (17-2-1, 7 KOs) at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California on April 30th, the Thursday before Mayweather-Pacquiao. Both coming from long layoffs, (Molina fought and lost to Adrien Broner on May 3rd of last year), Gesta and Molina will try to score a long-delayed win in the expense of the other. Gesta, 27, formerly of Mandaue City, Cebu in the Philippines and now based in San Diego, California will been training hard against an opponent whose only two defeats came in the hands of elite fighters, a 2013 UD loss to Broner and a TKO loss to Amir Khan in 2012. The former IBF lightweight title contender has been splitting his camp between San Diego and Los Angeles, training under his father, Anecito Gesta Jr. at the Cmac- Bid Gym and getting his sparring at the Wild Card Gym of Freddie Roach. Gesta told Philboxing.com that his training has been ?good? and that he is sparring with another former lightweight title contender and a former spar mate of Pacquiao, Wild Card Gym denizen, Ray Beltran. ?Maganda ang training dito. Yung sparring maganda, dahil ka-sparring ko si Ray Beltran at saka may dalawa pang good amateur fighters, kaya maganda yung camp dito sa L.A.? (Training has been good here. Sparring has been good because I spar with Ray Beltran and two other good amateur fighters, this camp in L.A. has been good.) Beltran also has an upcoming fight against Takahiro Ao of Japan, the night before Mayweather-Pacquiao at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and broadcasted over truTV in the United States. Gesta vs. Molina will also be carried live by another major US network, FOX Broadcasting Company through its FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes channels will show their headlining bout n the States alongside other supporting cards that evening. Gesta has been sparring 8 and 10 round sessions at the Wild Card Gym in preparation for Molina. His weight and conditioning is also on track for his fight next week. ?Mabuti naman ang conditioning ko. Kailangan ko lang I-maintain yung weight at I-continue and maintain yung training.? said Gesta who informed us that 138 pounds is the contracted weight of this bout. (My conditioning is good. I just need to maintain the weight and continue and maintain my training.) Despite his opponent?s recent twin defeats, Gesta praised Molina for being a tough contestant against Broner and Khan. ?Nakita ko yung previous fights niya at kahit natalo siya doon, maganda naman yung pinakita niya. Doon kay Adrien Broner, hindi siya ume-escape talaga at nag co-counter punch. ? (I have seen his previous fights and even though he lost, he performed well. Against Adrien Broner, he did not escape and he was counter punching.) Gesta said his father watched and studied Molina?s tapes and that they have a planned ?style and technique? against their foe on fight night. They have been honing those techniques them during their spar sessions at the Wild Card. ?I just need to listen to my dad, what he says, what to do within the ring. I cannot underestimate Molina, because he is not just going to stay there.? Gesta has his eyes on another shot at the title and a win against Molina can bring him closer to that goal. He also wanted to impress his Golden Boy bosses and matchmakers on his debut with the company. ?This will be a good fight and not an easy fight also and that is why I am really training hard for this one.? added Gesta. You can reach the author at rrmaze24@aol.com and is on Twitter @Freemazon910. Photo: Gesta (L) spars with Beltran. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rich Mazon .  |
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