Mercito "No Mercy" Gesta

This 23 year old is probably at present the 2nd best active southpaw from the Philippines (now that Gerry Penalosa has retired). In any event, it's between him and Mark Jason Melligen IMO.

He also holds the distinction of headlining the only boxing broadcast on American television this week, topping the bill of Telefutura's Solo Boxeo Tecate. That's right - there is nothing else (unless you have the less commonly available channels Telemundo or Televisa, as they also have some boxeo going on but nothing as interesting as Gesta).

His opponent is toughie Ivan "Relampago" Valle - which will make for 4 straight Mexican foes and 7 out of his last 8. As though there weren't already going to be hasty (but inevitable) Pacman comparisons...

Valle has faced a diverse bunch of classy fighters and done respectably well. He will easily be Gesta's biggest step up to date - one that is probably overdue in the 7th year of a lightweight's career.

Mercito loves to throw uppercuts, which always makes for a fun style. He can finish well but isn't always in a terrible hurry to do so. He's still learning (I don't know much about his amateur experience - can any pinoys shed some light?) but there is already some very patent upside. My prediction is a hard-fought decision win with Valle providing some good educational rounds and maybe trading a few knockdowns with the lefty from Cebu.

In other news, poor Adolfo Landeros - coming off five straight losses, three of them to excellent young talents - is going to get absolutely slaughtered by Michael "Lil Warrior" Franco in what ought to be a far less competitive co-feature on Solo Boxeo. :-(

Here's a little preview for you.

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CAUTION/CUIDADO: WATCH THIS ONE ON MUTE OR VERY LOW VOLUME!!!!


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Here's a couple of looks at what will be waiting for Gesta in the opposite corner:

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(Valle would drop Reyes once more but go on to be knocked out himself a couple of rounds later)

 

I got the same impression. His KO record seems deceptive (in the opposite manner that Vitali Klitschko's is).

He actually does turn his punches over and bang pretty damn hard...he's just been in with one rugged SOB after another, especially since his 2-year layoff.

 

I don't know about Cuello. He already has a lot to answer for with his resume, and that one nice win over a well-traveled Rachman (while it's better than anything Gesta or MJM have so far) doesn't exactly reconcile.

It isn't exactly like he was thrown to the lions when he got off to a 7-3-4 start. Those guys were all at the same points in their careers as he was. Honestly, he's kind of a one-hit wonder at the moment (while Gesta admittedly has yet to chart, but a dominant/knockout win over Valle could get him up there).

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I don't know. :think He's strong for a strawweight, and has good form...but head and shoulders above the rest of the young Filipino southpaws? I don't see it.

He's definitely not the coolest Denver.

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Quality result.