Posted by Neil Macasadia on Jul 22, 2012 in No Mercy Update
Unbeaten lightweight/light welterweight contender Mercito Gesta (25-0, 13 KO’s) is ready for his 10 round bout against Ty Barnett (20-2-1, 13 KO’s) on August 3rd on Friday Night Fights at the Texas Station Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada. This will be a great chance for the 24-year-old Gesta to show what he’s got, because the fight will be televised all across the United States. The southpaw Gesta has to do a much better job than he show in highly controversial 10 round decision over Manuel Perez last September. I saw the fight and I had Perez winning the fight by four rounds, and I thought Gesta looked completely awful. Gesta is one of those rare fighters that is raked in two divisions. By being ranked in two divisions at the same time, it gives Gesta a better shot at getting a title shot. However, Gesta is a lot better off if he can stay at lightweight because it gives him a better shot at capturing a title. Gesta’s trainer/co manager Vince Parra said to the Manila Standard “This is a big exposure fight for Mercito and we are going to take advantage of it and he’s coming out guns blazing.” Gesta absolutely needs to come out fast for this fight, because they’ve picked out a 2nd tier opponent in Barnett, and if he fights slowly like he’s been doing lately, throwing only one punch at a time, Gesta will likely lose to Barnett. Gesta has to try and increase his work rate because he fights like an old man at times, failing to throw enough shots, and that will get him beat against Barnett. Gesta should win this fight but if he looks like he did against Perez, I can see him getting beaten this time around. By Chris Williams Source Doc: http://www.boxingnews24.com/2012/07/gesta-ready-for-barnett-on-august/ Photo Credit: Neil...
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Posted by Neil Macasadia on Jul 22, 2012 in No Mercy Update
Lightweight contender Mercito Gesta aims to score his 26th career victory on August 3 when the Filipino battles Washington’s Ty Barnett at the Texas Station Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 24 year-old, who started his career at 110lbs, has steadily built up his reputation and now stands on the cusp of a world title challenge, knowing that he can ill-afford any slips ups at this stage of his career. “I don’t really know too much about Barnett, I’ve watched some footage but I leave that to Vince (Parra, manager) and my dad,” Gesta told World Boxing News. “They watch the tapes and we make a plan. I know he doesn’t respect me and that’s enough for me. I’ll be ready come August 3.” Last time out, Gesta stopped Oscar Cuero in eight rounds to record his 13th career knockout and ‘No Mercy’ is just one or two more victories away from gaining the world title chance he has craved his whole career. “I would like to win a title at 135, then move up to 140,” said Gesta. “It’s been hard to get at 135, but If opportunity came at 140 first then I’ll fight a light-welterweight. Right now it’s up to my promoter. I will fight whoever they put in front of me, but the plan has always 135 first, then go for 140. “I want the best lightweights in the world, Burns, Demarco whoever. There are a lot of good fighters at my weight, but I’m focused on Ty Barnett right now. “I have always called for the best in my weight and I’ll be ready when they except my challenge. “I have stopped worrying about when the title shot will come. It’s been close a couple of times, but didn’t work out. Vince has pushed Top Rank to get me a shot, but you can’t force a guy with a title to fight you. “They say my name is not big enough yet to risk fighting me, so I’m building my name and fan base and it will happen when it happens.” The Cebu-born southpaw has raised obvious comparisons with former pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao after beginning his career at the flyweight limit and has no problem with being labelled after one of his idols. “I take it as a compliment,” he explained. “Manny open the door for me and put my country on top of boxing. He’s a legend and I’m just trying to be me, make my own name to make my family and country proud. “I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all my the fans. I will give you great fights,” added Gesta. Manager Vince Parra is slowly guiding Gesta to the top of the boxing tree and believes that the early career harships and sacrifices made by the likeable contender have only made him...
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Posted by Neil Macasadia on Jul 21, 2012 in No Mercy Update
Team Gesta invites all the No Mercy fans to come and watch Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta in his public workout at the Black House Nogueira Gym (blackhouseteamnogueira.com) on July 25th, 2012 at 6:30pm PT. The Gym is located on 7550 Miramar Rd, Suite 330. Come bring your cameras and watch the future champ prepare for the main event on August 3rd on ESPN Friday Night Fights at the Texas Station Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Let’s all support our hometown boxer!! By Andy Macasadia Photo Credit: Chris...
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Posted by Neil Macasadia on Jul 20, 2012 in No Mercy Update
Lightweight prospect Mercito Gesta (25-0-1, 13 knockouts) has finished the heavy sparring phase of training for his August 3 clash with Ty Barnett (20-2-1, 13 KOs) at the Texas Station Casino in Las Vegas, Nev., which will headline ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights. Gesta sparred his last 12 round session on Wednesday in his adopted hometown of San Diego, Calif. with junior middleweight David Barragan (1-0-1, 1 KOs) and welterweight James Taylor (1-0), despite the Barnett fight being only scheduled for ten rounds. Gesta’s manager and trainer Vincent Parra is hoping the extra work in the gym will translate into an increase in stamina after a series of underwhelming performances last year against Manuel Perez and Ricardo Dominguez slowed Gesta’s ascent on top prospect lists. “It was 100 degrees in the gym and Mercito was still strong in round 12,” said Parra of the 24-year-old Gesta, who was born and raised in Mandaue City in the Philippine province of Cebu. Gesta will continue to spar 10, 8 and 6 round sessions leading up to a week before the fight “to stay sharp”, said Parra. “His endurance has always been a key thing myself and his father (Anecito Gesta) stressed because there has been times he could have finished guys but didn’t push. Mercito realizes the value of good condition now and it’s starting to show.” The bout with the 29-year-old Barnett of Washington D.C., will be Gesta’s second of the year, following an eighth-round TKO of Oscar Cuero in April. Gesta’s name had been floated around as a potential opponent for Juan Manuel Marquez and Brandon Rios, but as that talk has evaporated, Gesta’s team says they realize the need to impress with each performance. “The minute they said (we will face) Ty Barnett, everything else is talk. “This is real and this guy wants Mercito’s spot. Regardless of what the press says we still have to fight. “I think the opportunity to headline an event like this live on ESPN has got him up,” continued Parra. “Plus Barnett hasn’t shown him much respect. I think you’ll see a motivated Mercito Gesta. It’s not personal but the plan is to destroy this guy. I’m sure they have the same plan. Mercito wants him to trade, if not he’ll walk him down, whatever it takes.” By Ryan Songalia Source Doc: http://ringtv.craveonline.com/blog/173955-gesta-tapers-down-training-leading-to-barnett-clash Photo Credit: Ruben...
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Posted by Neil Macasadia on Jul 17, 2012 in No Mercy Update
On August 3rd, southeast Washington D.C. native Ty “TKO” Barnett (20-2-1 with 13 KOs) faces the toughest test of his career, Mercito Gesta (25-0-1 with 13 KOs). The fight, which will be nationally televised on ESPN2, will be Barnett’s TV debut, although he has fought on the undercard of several big shows over the years. With a win in front of a national audience the former three-time Golden Gloves Champion thinks that this fight could make him a player in the lightweight division. “This is like my coming out party. I have never had a nationally televised fight before this my first time fighting on TV and getting that exposure that I have been yearning for my whole career” said Barnett. Barnett grew up in Southeast D.C., looking up to several local fighters who won world titles: Sharmba Mitchell, Keith Holmes, William Joppy and Hall of Famer Mark Johnson. As an amateur, Barnett says his style resembled that of the late great Diego Corrales. “People always compared me to him back in the amateurs, they always said I fight just like Diego”. Barnett has suffered a couple of setbacks in his career, two stoppage losses against Juan Santiago and Andrey Klimov, but he believes that he beat himself in those fights through a lack of preparation. “It’s more mental then anything. It’s all a learning experience. I am back and focused 100% and ready to do great things.” “I have just come off of two fights with two veteran guys [Robert Daluz and Damon Antouine]and I feel as though my timing is back and I am seeing things a lot clearer in the ring. I feel like I felt when I was climbing that ladder”. Now working with advisor Norman Smith Jr. and trainer Scott Buchanan who has worked with a who’s who of D.C. area fighters including Mitchell and Holmes, Barnett feels as though he is ready to shock the boxing world. Gesta, from the Philippines, will surely be favored in this fight, but being the underdog is nothing new to Barnett. In 2008 he stopped the favored Pavel Miranda who at the time was considered a prospect. Miranda lost to Barnett by TKO in the fourth round. “This is nothing new to me, I am glad that everybody is doubting me so I can upset them. It’s not going to be a shocker to me,” says Barnett about the upcoming match. Gesta is a lefthander, but Barnett says he’s faced a number of southpaws in his career and doesn’t feel as though Gesta will show him anything he hasn’t seen before. Being in the gym with lefties like Zab Judah, Mitchell and Demarcus Corley, Barnett thinks he is more then prepared for anything the Filipino slugger will bring come fight night. “I am just going to go in there in do what I do best, any adjustments that...
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