On the surface, lightweight contender Mercito ?No Mercy? Gesta?s last performance, a 3rd round TKO over overmatched Jorge Pimentel, may have seemed like business at usual but rest assured, it signified a new start in many ways for the Mandaue City, Cebu native. Just a little over a month prior Gesta had inked a new deal with Las Vegas-based Top Rank Promotions and it was imperative that he had a strong showing against Pimentel to keep his momentum going.
Showing poise that beguiled his 23 years of age, Gesta was in rare form as he picked his Mexican foe apart with piercing combinations while keeping the fight at his own pace. The end would come in round three as Gesta landed a beautiful right uppercut late in the stanza to score his 3rd knockdown in the fight, with referee Raul Caiz Jr. waiving the contest off.
Since that victory is has been revealed that Gesta will be returning on September 17th at the BlueWater Casino in Parker, Arizona against an opponent to-be-determined. Gesta will be co-headlining that card along with budding junior welterweight prospect Jose Benavidez Jr., a Phoenix native, as it will give local fans an alternative to the Floyd Mayweather-Victor Ortiz pay-per-view extravaganza from the MGM Grand on the same night.
Gesta recently stopped by The Boxing Lab, BoxingScene?s official radio show, to speak on that assignment as well as his future aspirations in the sport.
?I?m just preparing for that fight,? Gesta would state. ?I?m not sure of the opponent yet but I think the fight is set and ready. So I?m just staying focused on my training and next week I?m going to do the strength and conditioning and try to get back in shape again.?
It is a quick turnaround for Gesta, seeing as though the Pimentel fight was less than a month ago on July 9th, but he insists that preparing himself for the rigors of another training camp is something that comes naturally to him.
?I?m kind of used to it already but all I need to do is improve more and train harder. I?m almost getting there and the opponents are going to be tougher. All I need to do is focus on my training and try to improve. Two weeks before the fight I?m going to Oxnard; I heard there is good sparring there,? Gesta added.
