Posted by Neil Macasadia on Nov 8, 2012 in Mercito Gesta Articles
By Bill Emes Photo Credit: Duenas Aris Source Doc: http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=58749#ixzz2BeFXmEOa IBF lightweight champion Miguel Vazquez (32-3, 13KOs) expects a very tough fight against undefeated Filipino contender Mercito Gesta (26-0-1, 14KOs) on December 8th in Las Vegas, as part of the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez HBO pay-per-view undercard at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Vazquez retained his title on Saturday with a twelve round split decision over mandatory challenger Marvin Quintero. According to Vazquez, he had some trouble with Quintero because “he was very strong and aggressive.” He knows Gesta is also strong and expects him to be even more aggressive than Quintero. Vazquez plans to train for the fight of his life. “I feel very happy and motivated. These are the fights that I want. All I’m thinking about now is December 8th and fighting Gesta and putting on a great performance. I think that it will be a complicated fight. He’s undefeated and very strong. Gesta will be even more aggressive than Quintero, so I know that I have to prepare even harder for December 8th,” Vazquez told...
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Posted by Neil Macasadia on Nov 5, 2012 in Mercito Gesta Articles
By dSource Photo Credit: Team dSource Source Doc: http://www.examiner.com/article/team-gesta-challenges-vazquez-to-fight-like-a-champ-not-like-usain-bolt “Mexicans would love to see their champion show up and fight like a warrior, and not run like a marathon runner.” – Team Gesta on Miguel Vazquez Unbeaten Filipino rising star Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta (26-0-1, 14 KOs) is gearing up for his long-coveted world title fight on December 8 in the undercard of Pacquiao-Marquez 4 against tough and rugged Mexican Miguel Vazquez (32-3-0, 13 KOs) who is staking his IBF lightweight title. The Cebuano is currently up in the mountains of Big Bear, California for some high-altitude training and sparring, in respect of the difficult task at hand. “I think he’s more difficult than other guys I fought,” Gesta told me in an exclusive interview in recognition of the challenge Vazquez presents. “He knows how to use his height. He knows how to back up. He’s not engaging. That’s kinda’ hard. It’s hard to fight a guy that doesn’t want to fight; just hit and run, hit and run,” he added. But Vincent Parra of Team Gesta isn’t the least bit concerned of Vazquez’s running tactics. “We’re ready for him to run. We’re going to find him. We will corner him, and we will make him fight,” said Parra, who is Gesta’s co-trainer and co-manager. “If he doesn’t want to fight, we will make him fight,” he further stressed out. Parra issued a challenge to the Vazquez camp to do their part in ensuring that their bout will be worthy of being shown on HBO, and reminded them that the only reason they are on the card is because of his ward. “If it weren’t for us, he wouldn’t be on HBO again after the way he fought Marvin Quintero, straight up! He would not be getting this fight if not for Mercito Gesta,” said Parra, and added, “if he thinks he’s going to run again the way he did against Marvin Quintero and HBO’s going to want him again, he’s crazy!” Asked if he is concerned about the potential crowd disadvantage on fight night when Mexican fans pack the MGM Grand, Parra insisted that he doesn’t know too many Mexicans who are fans of Vazquez’s style. “I think Mexicans like Mercito’s style because he comes to fight. I honestly think that the fans will be on our side on that night,” said Parra. He also believes that they will win over fans with Gesta’s aggressive fighting style, on top of the fact that they have built a solid Mexican fan base from appearing on several Mexican boxing shows. “We’re hoping he shows the great Mexican warriors of the past, and that he behaves like a warrior instead of a track star … Mexicans would love to see their champion show up and fight like a warrior, and not run like a marathon runner.” – Vince Parra on Miguel...
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Posted by Neil Macasadia on Oct 29, 2012 in Mercito Gesta Articles
By Ryan Maquiñana (Boxingscene.com) Source Doc: http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=58772#ixzz2AinfrnSx Photo Credit: Duenas Aris Unbeaten lightweight contender Mercito Gesta (26-0-1, 14 KOs) has completed his third week of training in preparation for what he hopes will be a shot at 135-pound titleholder Miguel Vazquez in Las Vegas on Dec. 8. “We’ve been in San Diego, but we’ll be checking into Big Bear November 1st,” said Gesta’s manager/trainer, Vince Parra. “I think Jose Benavidez Jr. is going to be up there with us to spar. Antonio and Israel Arellano are coming up, too, we think.” Vazquez (32-3, 13 KOs) slipped by Marvin Quintero (25-4, 21 KOs) Saturday night in Verona, N.Y., via split decision. “Just the potential of getting this fight has got [Mercito] stoked,” Parra added. “There’s a couple options. The first plan is to fight Miguel Vazquez though. If he comes out clean, it’s a go for December on the Pacquiao-Marquez undercard on December 8th. Vazquez went on record and said he wants it.” Despite campaigning at lightweight, Gesta, who stopped Ty Barnett on ESPN2 in August, has not made the 135-pound limit since 2008. Parra was not concerned about his fighter struggling to beat the scale. “One big key thing was that we got on him for his diet,” Parra said. “It’s not anything crucial. It’s just doing a couple of different things. I don’t think the weight is going to be a problem at all. The differential is that right now we’re preparing for Miguel Vazquez, technically-wise.” Vazquez presents a challenge not only with his height (5’10’’ to Gesta’s 5’7’’) but also his reach (72’’ to Gesta’s 68’’), movement, and overall boxing ability. “Vazquez is more of a Rubik’s cube,” Parra said. “I see a guy in his last four or five fights, he’s a proficient boxer who makes you fight his fight. He uses his jab and stays away from big punches. He makes guys headhunt and take them out of their gameplan. We’d make him fight our fight. “He’s a counterpuncher, but so are we, and we’re faster. He has not faced anybody that would tell me he would demolish my guy. He gets away with a lot of holding. His opposition in the last year doesn’t matchup to Mercito’s talent level.” After solid but not yet spectacular performances over the past year and a half, many have dismissed Gesta’s chances against Vazquez. Not so fast, opines Parra. “I don’t think anyone is giving us a shot,” Parra said. “Vazquez has done what he’s had to do, but I’m not impressed, and I think my guy is a better athlete. People talk about Mercito’s conditioning, and that’s fine, but when you put someone in front of him like Vazquez, you’ll see the best this kid has to...
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Posted by Neil Macasadia on Oct 29, 2012 in Mercito Gesta Articles
By Rich Mazon (PhilBoxing.com) Source Doc: http://philboxing.com/news/list.articles.php?aid=2736&id=76532 Photo Credit: bStunt Mercito Gesta is half a country away from where IBF lightweight champion Miguel Vazquez fought and successfully defended his belt against tough challenger Marvin Quintero at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, New York. But that did not deter the unbeaten Filipino fighter who has been eyeing Vazquez and his 135 pound title belt. Gesta intently watched the live bout between Vazquez and Quintero on television in his gym in San Diego as both fighters slug it out in a ring in Upstate New York. “It looks like it is hard to fight this guy,” was his initial reply when this Philboxing.com writer talked to him over the phone right after the bout which Vazquez won by a 12 round Split Decision. “It looks like he does not know how to box but he looks like a hard fighter to fight. He won the fight and it looks like it was boring but this guy will be hard to fight,” added Gesta. Vazquez’s name has been prominently mentioned to Gesta and his team by his promoter, Top Rank. They have informed Team Gesta of their plan to pit the undefeated challenger against Vazquez if the latter is victorious and free of injury in his title defense against Quintero last night. “He has no cuts and he’s not beat up. I think yeah. I think that fight might go through. We will just be waiting for the papers to be signed and everything so everything will be sealed,” an optimistic Gesta told Philboxing.com. “I think I would say, probably like seventy percent right now that the fight will go through,” he added. The discussed bout between Vazquez and Gesta is planned to be in the undercard of Gesta’s fellow Filipino fighter, Manny Pacquiao. Pacquiao will battle his Mexican rival, Juan Manuel Marquez for the fourth time on December 8th at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas. The title bout between Vazquez and Gesta will supplement the Philippines versus Mexico theme that Top Rank is said to be planning for that event. Besides Pacquiao, three other Filipino fighters are reported to be fighting on December 8th, possibly against Mexican opponents. The addition of Vazquez versus Gesta will further solidify the rivalry between the two countries in the sport. “If he had a cut, the fight might not be on the undercard of Pacquiao-Marquez because that is too early. But right now he is still good and I looked at him and he looked good. Hopefully there are really no injuries or something because sometimes you don’t feel the injuries inside,” was Gesta’s assessment of his potential foe. “I think that fight will go through. They (Top Rank) said that they really wanted that fight between me and Vazquez,” he added. Gesta’s voice was full of excitement when he talked...
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Posted by Neil Macasadia on Sep 12, 2012 in Mercito Gesta Articles
BY: DENNIS ‘D SOURCE’ GUILLERMO Photo Credit: dSource Here’s some friendly and free advice for Bob Arum and Top Rank if they truly intend to promote a fourth installment of Manny Pacquiao versus Juan Manuel Marquez: Stack the card with top Filipino boxers fighting top Mexicans. It’s that simple. First of all, apart from Mexican boxing fans, the fundamental fact is that nobody is really asking for Pacquiao-Marquez 4. One might argue, “well, nobody asked for Pacquiao vs. Margarito either.” That much is true, but at the time, Pacquiao still had the momentum from his big wins against Dela Hoya, Hatton, and Cotto, so fans were were just eager to see Pacquiao in the ring again. But during fight night, I observed that the venue (Jerry Jones’ New Cowboys Stadium in Dallas) was at least filled with 70% Mexicans. Obviously, the boxing-crazy Mexican fans would still pay to see one of their own beat the snot out of Pacquiao, who has tormented many of their best guns. So how do you get the rest of the world excited about a potential Pacquiao vs. Marquez 4? Stack the card. And for all the junk Pacquiao cards and fights Top Rank and Arum have shoved up Pacquiao’s maniacal Filipino fans’ cracks instead of giving them the fights they truly wanted, what’s asking for a little “lube” this time around in the form of seeing some of their own top guys in the undercard? Arum has money to provide lube; if you’re letting the greedy bastard screw you over and over, at least demand it. Here’s the quick version of it (longer more elaborate version to follow): Arum calls Zanfer chum Fernando Beltran, Orion Sports’ Allan Tremblay and ALA Promotions’ Michael Aldeguer and voila. Pacquiao vs Marquez 4 will headline a card that will feature Mercito Gesta going up against Miguel Vazquez for his belt; Brian Viloria vs. Hernan “Tyson” Marquez title unification bout; Ana Julaton challenging Jackie Nava for her belt; Milan Melindo debuting in the US, and Boom-Boom Bautista returning for redemption (his KO loss to Ponce De Leon was the lone loss by the Philippines in the World Cup of Boxing: Philippines vs. Mexico back in 2008). Boom! Gotta go! We’ll continue this...
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Posted by Neil Macasadia on Sep 10, 2012 in Mercito Gesta Articles
By Chris Robinson Photo Credit: bStunt A new week is nearly upon us and still no word on who Manny Pacquiao will be fighting if he chooses to step inside the squared circle this year. Pacquiao was originally scheduled for a November 10th assignment at the MGM Grand but the date would eventually shift to December 8th after a suitable opponent wasn’t selected from the list of Juan Manuel Marquez, Timothy Bradley, and Miguel Cotto. With Cotto having announced that he will be returning to face WBA junior middleweight champion Austin Trout at Madison Square Garden on December 1st, that leaves Marquez and Bradley, Pacquiao’s last two opponents, left to choose from. While a fight with Bradley appears to be of little interest to promoter Bob Arum because of its lack of appeal to the general public, Pacquiao is reportedly less than enthused about facing Marquez for a fourth time, as each of their first three affairs were life and death thrillers that could have gone either way. And as Pacquiao mulls over his options, so too have several fighters seen their plans altered. Budding lightweight contender Mercito Gesta from Mandaue City in the Philippines, a month removed from a rousing 9th round stoppage over Washington, D.C. fighter Ty Barnett, was originally looking at an undercard appearance on the proposed November 10th card with hopes of seeing IBF champion Miguel Vazquez in the opposite corner. Catching up with Gesta’s trainer and co-manager Vince Parra on Sunday evening, I got a better of understanding of why those plans have changed. “After the [Barnett] fight, Bob [Arum] has wanted to put us in with Vazquez,” Parra said. “It’s something we accepted and I think even Vazquez accepted. The only thing is, he has a mandatory, [Marvin] Quintero. He hasn’t defended his title in almost a year and he can’t get out of it.” Parra added that Gary Shaw was looking to stage Vazquez-Quintero on September 29th but that the fight may now be pushed back to the end of October or sometime else. Despite the disappointment of seeing a title shot slip away, Parra was initially optimistic about Gesta’s next ring outing, but now that enthusiasm has been dampened slightly as Gesta and his team wait for Pacquiao’s next move. A Vazquez-Gesta match would have worked well on a Pacquiao-Marquez IV card, as Arum was interested in lining up a show featuring Filipino vs. Mexican fighters. But with rumors circulating that Pacquiao might prefer sitting out 2012 in order to secure a spring date with Floyd MayweatherJr., nothing seems certain at this point. “I don’t want to say we’re in limbo,” Parra added. “We’re just going with the flow.” If anything, Parra did add that Gesta is still in great spirits, especially after seeing his mother and little brother arrive to his adopted hometown of San Diego as he continues to wait for word on his next move. Expect...
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