Gesta over Meza, it wasn’t even close
Vince Parra, part promoter, part manager and part trainer of Mercito Gesta, gets so excited after Gesta's big win in Tampa, Florida that he raises his champion high overhead.
Friday night in Tampa, Florida at the A La Carte Pavillion, undefeated Filipino lightweight Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta (18-0-1, 8 KOs) who now calls San Diego his home, won by TKO over Oscar “El Estudiante” Meza (19-4, 17 KOs) after Meza failed to come out for round five.
Once again, the 22 year-old sensation who trains locally and has fought at the Four Points by Sheraton and downtown at the Hard Rock Hotel put on a masterful performance. By doing so he claimed the vacant WBO Americas lightweight belt. With some people comparing him to Manny Pacquiao, it now appears Gesta is on the fast track, on everyone’s “A” list.
After their first round feeling out process, Gesta turned it up a notch in the second and started landing the big blows to Meza’s head. Meza was caught again in the third round with a thunderous overhand right. While he was able to weather this early onslaught, Meza had a difficult time getting on track or countering.
Gesta put the finishing touches on his opponent in the fourth when he caught Meza against the ropes and landed a brutal rib-breaking right hook to the body. Clearly in pain, Meza was forced to drop to one knee and then just beat the referee’s count to continue. After getting up, Gesta did everything he could to finish him off, but Meza somehow managed to survive the round. Just before the bell rang for the fifth round, Meza appeared reluctant to come out and when it did sound, he remained on his stool.
Unlike most boxers, Gesta benefits from a ton of support. In his corner he has promoter Don Chargin and matchmaker Jorge Marron. The boxing coaches and corner people who have helped him reads like a Who’s Who list: Carl Penalosa, Jun Lunas, Vince and Bumpy Parra and even Freddy Roach has lent a hand. The people he has sparred with is also extraordinary. Antonio Orozco, Jorge Linares, Antonio DeMarco and Marvin Quintero. With such help, it appears Gesta will someday get his wish to challenge the top lightweights.
