There’ no denying the impact that Filipino warriors have had on the sport of boxing, especially in the last several years. The wave of influence has crashed upon every shore, from California to the White
House. This weekend represents yet another chance for Filipino fighters to continue their forward trek into the boxing mainstream with three big, high profile wins.
First, on Friday, 23-year old phenom, Mercito Gesta (20-0-1, 10 KOs), will enter the ring at the Longshoreman Hall in San Francisco.
Gesta is the huge favorite over a worn-out, tired Genaro Trazancos, who has lost eight of his last nine, but the TV exposure on Telefutura will work to push this outstanding young talent upward and onward.
The southpaw Gesta is right on the verge of entering the wickedly tough lightweight-jr. welterweight talent pool and the possibilities are absolutely mouth watering to all true fight fans.
Then, on Saturday in Las Vegas, on the Fernando Montiel-Nonito Donaire undercard (more on the main event later), welterweight, Mark Jason Melligen (20-2, 14 KOs) pushes forward against Mexico’s Gabriel Martinez (27-1-1, 14 Kos) in what can only be seen as a lead-in to a bout with the winner of the Mike Jones-Jesus Soto Karass II battle. A win for Melligen means moving up to that next level and being seen as a real player in boxing’s glamorous welterweight division.
And later that same night, “The Filipino Flash,” Nonito Donaire (25-1, 17 KOs) has the chance to move up to become a true star of the sport by beating Mexican, WBO/WBC bantamweight champion, Fernando Montiel (44-2-2, 34 KOs) in a sure-fire war.
Donaire is a uniquely gifted fighter and one of the sport’s biggest talents, but Montiel is all warrior.
A win for Donaire, not only gets him two title belts, but it gives him the HBO leverage to eventually become the left hook behind Manny Pacquiao’s right hand lead in terms of popularity.
It should be a very entertaining weekend indeed for fans of Filipino boxing as well as anyone else who enjoys the true Sport of Kings.
