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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Posted by Neil Macasadia on Jul 13, 2012 in No Mercy Update
As quoted by Top Rank, Inc., “The Future is Now!” as Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta headlines the August 3, 2012 ESPN Friday Night Fights at the Texas Station Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. Mercito is continuing to train hard and from Vince Parra his trainer, “Training is intense!!” Tickets for the fight can be purchased as 1-800-745-3000 or by logging on sclv.com/concerts as stated on TopRank.com. Let’s go No Mercy Army and support of fellow boxer in Las Vegas!! No Mercy No Mercy!! By Neil Macasadia Photo Credit: Top Rank, Inc....
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Posted by Neil Macasadia on Jul 3, 2012 in No Mercy Update
No Mercy Army!! The countdown is now on for the August 3rd, 2012 showdown in Las Vegas, NV against Ty Barnett. Mercito has been training hard everyday to prepare himself for the fight which will be shown on ESPN FNF at the Texas Station Hotel. More updates coming shortly. By Neil Macasadia Photo Credit: Duenas...
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Posted by Neil Macasadia on Jun 28, 2012 in No Mercy Update
“I’m tired of waiting for a big fight and pushing them (Top Rank) for a big fight. I’ve been asking for that. So maybe after this fight, I want to win this one impressively, and then maybe that they can give me a title fight, maybe with Miguel Vasquez,” — Mercito Gesta I caught up with undefeated 24-year-old Filipino lightweight Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta (25-0-1, 13 KOs), who returns to action on August 3 at the Texas Station Casino in Las Vegas against Ty Barnett (20-2-1, 13 KOs) in a featured fight on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights card for this exclusive interview. Contrary to reports listed on other boxing sites, Gesta will be campaigning at the lightweight division to take care of unfinished business. His fight with Barnett will be fought at a contracted weight of 137. With the help of his father Anecito, who has been keeping a close eye in San Diego together with co-manager and trainer Vince Parra, Gesta is aiming to make an emphatic statement on cable TV, fresh off his thrilling 8th-round TKO win last April against Oscar Cuero. Transcript highlights below: Mercito Gesta – “Right now, I’m just good that the fight is set and I have an opponent. He accepted the fight, so it’s legit right now. It’s good, because I can focus on training right now since I have an opponent. It’s been a long time for me since my last fight.” “I already started sparring. I’m just sparring with this new professional, but he’ has a lot of amateur fights and he’s undefeated (7-0). He’s good for now, we can use him since I just started sparring, but once I get deeper we’re going to get better ones with a longer pro records.” “My dad’s been showing me new techniques and styles. Every time they offer me an opponent, even if it’s not confirmed yet, he looks them up and scout, but now that my opponents is confirmed, he’s been scouting this guy ad figuring out how we can dominate this guy, so he’s been a big help.” By Dennis ‘D Source’ Guillermo Source Doc: http://www.examiner.com/article/straight-from-dsource-exclusive-interview-with-mercito-gesta Photo Credit: Neil Macasadia ...
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