Ni Gilbert Espeña
KAHIT binigyan ng maliit ng tsansa ng mga eksperto sa boksing, naniniwala si No. 15 contender Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta na mananaig siya dahil hindi niya sasayangin ang ikalawang pagkakataon na maging kampeong pandaigdig.
Kakasa si Gesta laban sa inaasahang magiging Hall of Famer sa hinaharap na si WBA at Ring Magazine lightweight champion Jorge “El Nino De Oro” Linares ng Venezuela sa Linggo sa The Forum sa Inglewood, California na ipalalabas nang live sa HBO Boxing After Dark.
“I’m fighting Jorge Linares, I’m excited to be fighting for a title. Linares is good, I really like this challenge and I can’t wait,” sabi ni Gesta sa Fightnews.com. “Camp is great, Freddie Roach is really smart he knows what he’s doing. Along with Marvin Zamudio he has also been great. My conditioning is great thanks to Justine Fortune.”
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Matagal nang nagsasanay si Gesta sa Wild Card Gym sa Hollywood, California sa ilalim ni Roach mula nang bitiwan ni Top Rank big boss Bob Arum nang matalo kay ex-IBF lightweight titlist Miguel Vasquez ng Mexico noong 2012. Lumipat siya kay Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar dela Hoya at nagtala ng limang sunod-sunod na panalo, pinakahuli laban kay one-time world title challenger Martin Honorio ng Mexico via 5thround knockout noong nakaraang Setyembre sa The Forum.
“Linares is a world champion. He is quick, fast, and he is a tremendous fighter. He is a champ for a reason,” sabi ni Gesta tungkol kay Linares. “We have been studying him and his key will be the speed for me. We plan to pressure and be smart,” Gesta added.
Para sa 30-anyos na si Gesta, hindi na siya papayag na maulit ang pagkatalo noong Disyembre 8, 2012 kasabay ni Pambansang Kamao Manny Pacquiao na pinatulog sa 6thround ni Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez.
“I learned a lot from that fight. The defeat really helped me in a way. I have grown a lot from that fight,” ani Gesta. “There was a lot of pressure at the beginning for me. Everyone was like I’m going to be the next Pacquiao or Filipino great but I was like no. Pacquiao is an all time great and I will have my own career. I feel the pressure is gone now. I need to show that there is no pressure. Now I am fighting for a world title and now I can handle this stage.”
Sa anim na laban sa ilalim ng Golden Boy Promotions na mayroon siyang 5-0-1karta na may 2 knockouts, umaasa siya na magbibigay nang karangalan sa Pilipinas.
“Expect a great fight. It will be like a chess match but it will be an interesting fight,” diin Gesta na gustong magbalik sa ating bansa na isang world champion.
May rekord si Gesta na 31-1-2 na may 17 panalo sa knockouts kumpara sa mas beteranong si Linares na may 43-3-0 na may 27 pagwawagi sa knockouts.
