Budding lightweight prospect Mercito ?No Mercy? Gesta saw his name thrust into the headlines earlier this week when a rumor leaked that the Mandaue City, Philippines-born fighter was being considered as a possible opponent for lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez this coming July at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas.
While certainly an interesting proposition, the talk of such a fight was placed on the backburner when it was later revealed that Gesta would next be seeing action on the April 14th undercard portion of the HBO-televised scrap between former champions Brandon Rios and Yuriorkis Gamboa.
Gesta?s opponent is yet-to-be determined and in hearing him speak you could tell that he is still coming down a bit from the high of envisioning a Marquez encounter as he now eyes a less-prolific undercard bout in Vegas in less than two months? time.
?They put me on that card,? Gesta said of his slot on the Rios-Gamboa show. ?There?s nothing I can do. I just need to fight. I want to fight on my own card but it?s a big fight too. Maybe after that fight there?s a big fight coming. Top Rank, they planned something, and hopefully it?s going to be a title fight.? Advertisement
Before speaking on the big fight for which he is pining for, Gesta was asked to take a look at the Rios-Gamboa scrap in hopes of getting his analysis of the bout.
It?s the type of fight that has several circles buzzing as the all-action Rios, the former WBA lightweight champion, will look to test the nimble and daunting Gamboa, who is moving up two weight classes for the fight, unlike anyone else has thus far.
?Actually, it?s a good match I think,? said Gesta, giving his thoughts. ?Rios, he?s tough, he hits hard. Gamboa, I know he moved up in weight and I don?t know if he can handle Rios?s power, but his speed, it?s obvious he?s faster than Rios. I think it?s a good fight and we?ll see what?s going to happen in that fight.?
Gesta, who last month returned from a vacation back home to the Philippines, most recently saw action on November 11th when he dropped Sinaloa, Mexico?s Ricardo Dominguez in the third round and cruised on to a unanimous decision victory after ten heats.
