Serious and not so serious boxing news from the weekend
Hot prospect Mercito Gesta could be signed by the San Diego Padres.
Mercito Gesta gets to throw out the first pitch
On Saturday, super lightweight Mercito Gesta of Chula Vista got to throw out the first pitch just prior to the San Diego Padres-Colorado Rockies game. Gesta, who is now in the preparation stages for his upcoming bout on Top Rank’s “Top Rank Live” – FSN televised card on Saturday, September 17 at the Blue Water Resort & Casino in Parker, Arizona.
After Padre scouts clocked his fastball at 94 miles per hour, Gesta, a southpaw, was asked if he might consider lending support to the shaky Padre bullpen.
David Haye is shown competing on the game show in the U.K.
David Haye wins in his comeback
With his reputation for self-inflation and bravado, David Haye will result to any means possible to keep his name in the news. In early July, we were told the former WBA World Champ, had plans to retire unless Wladimir Klitschko agreed to a rematch. For shame, not one multi-million dollar offer was extended.
At 5:16 a.m. on Sunday, September 4, came news, via his Twitter feed, that his minions could view his greatness on national TV: “Hello Loyal Fans!!! – I am appearing on “Red or Black” tonight at 6.45 p.m. on ITV … news coming soon about the future …PEACE David.”
Could it be? Haye, who had been lying low since his humiliating loss to Klitschko in July, was back in action. We all knew his anonymity wouldn’t last. The legions of fans were awaiting his pronouncement.
On the show, ‘The Hayemaker’ as he is known, got lucky and beat the WBA light-welterweight champ Amir Khan in a ‘shadow boxing’ contest as part of ITV’s latest vehicle for Ant and Dec, a million pound prize game show called Red and Black.
What they had the boxers do was punch their way through a series of paper obstacles as quickly as possible. Haye, who expended more effort than he did against Audley Harrison, stormed to the victory.
Jokesters then had Khan taking off his right boot and sock, climbing up on Ant’s shoulders and had the Geordie funny man parading him around the stage while pointing to his little toe and shouting, “I didn’t want to let Ant and Dec down so I went through with it.” The skit would have been a reference to Haye’s excuse for losing to Klitschko back in July.
James Parison continues his winning ways with win over Mendez
James Parison, the pride of San Diego, gets win #15. Photo: Jim Wyatt
Super middleweight James Parison (15-1, 4 KOs) of San Diego won a six round split decision over Paul Mendez (6-2, 0 KOs) on Friday night, on a very entertaining fight card shown on the Telefutura channel. Scores were 59-55 for Parison by judge Marty Sammon, 58-56 for Parison by judge Ralph McKnight, while the third judge, Michael Tate, had it 58-56 for Mendez.
The reason for the disparity in the scoring? You got me. Parison was masterful throughout as he simply out-boxed the larger foe. This ringside reporter tried his best to stay impartial and had it 58-56 for Parison who was fighting a man seven years his junior, four inches taller and had a two inch reach advantage.
With their wicked pace, you thought for sure one or the other might tire but it never happened. After Parison took Round #1, back came Mendez to take Round #2. Parison landed some nice combinations to take Round #3, and then Mendez matched his output in Round #4. The difference maker came in the closing rounds as Parison took charge and looked to be the stronger and more wiser of the two while slipping punches and landing more of the cleaner shots.
In a non-title super lightweight fight, former WBC super featherweight and lightweight world champ Humberto Soto (56-7-2, 33 KOs) scored a second round TKO victory over former WBA lightweight world champ Jose Alfaro (25-7, 22 KOs) at the Estadio Centenario in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico. After being cut by a head butt in round one, Soto launched a tirade of punches in round two that had Alfaro in trouble and actually turning his back looking for any way possible to stop the onslaught. The referee clearly saw his lack of defense and called for the early stoppage.
Saturday’s fight card at the Foro Promocasa in Mexicali
In the main event, welterweight Omar Chavez (27-0-1, 20 KOs) had little problem defeating Alberto Martínez (15-2, 10 KOs). It all ended in the very first round. A solid left did most of the damage to end the bout at 2:51.
In an earlier bout, welterweight Jorge Paez Jr. (29-4-1, 18 KOs) dropped Rodrigo Juarez (15-14-1, 11 KOs), also in round one. Paez landed an uppercut and followed with a barrage of punches to end the bout at 1:10 of round number three.
