Mercito Gesta Delivers in Top Rank Debut

After all the chatter and anticipation surrounding Top Rank’s newest pinoy slugger, San Diego’s [by way of Cebu, Philippines] Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta (22-0-1 12KOs), the 23-year-old southpaw sensation delivered, flooring 31-year-old Jorge “El Tigre” Pimental (23-12, 17KOs), of Sonora, Mexico, once in each round en-route to an explosive 3rd round TKO for his fans, family, friends and most importantly, Bob Arum’s viewing pleasure.

Mercito received rave reviews in his scheduled 8 round tilt that was on the under card of the Brandon Rios-Urbano Antillon championship tussle at the Home Depot Center from Carson, Calif., as the Filipino young gun and “El Tigre” boxed under the blazing sun.

Mercito’s debut could not have been scripted any better considering he went in there and did exactly what was expected of him. Pimental is a tough journeyman who replaced former world title challenger Francisco Lorenzo when Lorenzo ran into visa issue’s. Some people took umbrage with the choice of opponent for Mercito’s debut under Top Rank, but that was not of Gesta’s concern. “No Mercy’s” only job was to beat who the Bob Arum brain trust put in front of him and he did just that, destroying “El Tigre.”

“Sometimes we have to pull the reigns in on Mercito because he’s getting better and better. But we know Top Rank will keep us busy, they’re talking about a fight six weeks from now and maybe even on the Antonio Margarito-Miguel Cotto rematch card early in December. You don’t hurry a kid Mercito’s age, you let his performance set the schedule,” relayed Mercito’s trainer and co-manager Vince Parra.

Gesta systematically broke down Pimental with controlled aggression. He threw powerful punches in a judicious and precise manner, displaying his poise as a fighter.

In the first frame Gesta came forward jabbing and looking to measure his foe, as Pimental landed a few body shots and right hands up top while on the move. Gesta took his time and boxed because he wanted to display all of his weapons and get a few rounds in. He also didn’t move his head much in the first round which made it possible for Pimental to land those right hands.

“I did that on purpose. Maybe I could blow him out in the first round but I wanted to show different looks, including my uppercuts which hurt him and I wanted to confuse him with my movement. I was picking my shots and didn’t waste any punches.”

Gesta’s attack consisted of straight lefts to the head and mid-section, right hooks and uppercuts as he tried to get his timing down which took him a couple minutes allowing Pimental to catch him with a few more right hands up top, but the pinoy walked right through them and kept stalking.

Towards the end of the opening round Mercito got his timing down and landed a couple right hooks, a right uppercut and a nice straight left to the mouth. With :30 seconds to go in period one, Gesta backed Pimental into the corner and clipped him with a right-hook uppercut hybrid that put “El Tigre” on the canvas. Gesta unleashed some nice combinations once Pimental rose but the Mexican was able to block or evade most of it.

Gesta was throwing lightning quick combination’s to start the 2nd round, and the weekend warrior’s got into a couple exchanges that Gesta got the better of. A minute in, Mercito threw a flurry of stout right’s and left’s to the torso that connected and followed it up with a crisp counter right hook to Jorge’s jaw. Gesta was exuding confidence as he walked down “El Tigre,” using good waist movement while showing different angles of attack.

At :42 seconds of round two, “No Mercy” blasted Jorge with a booming right uppercut that snapped back the Mexican’s head and put him on one knee. As in the first round, Pimental made it through to the end of the period but this time he was definitely hurt.

Pimental was landing punches, having a little bit of success with his right hand up top and blows to the body. The problem was none of Jorge’s strikes had any affect and he couldn’t get Mercito to take a backwards step. In the 3rd stanza, Mercito displayed some speed unleashing a dizzying ten punch combination that had Jorge back on his heels and into the corner where the San Diego pugilist touched him with some thudding body shots.

With :38 seconds to go in the 3rd, Gesta had Pimental in the corner and delivered the coup de grace, a quick right uppercut, straight left combination that crumbled Jorge to the canvas for the third time and Raul Caiz Jr., had seen enough, immediately stopping the bout and saving the outmatched Pimental from more punishment. With that, Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta got an impressive 3rd round TKO in his Top Rank debut, taking his resume to 22-0-1 with 12 early endings.

“Man I am so excited now that I won my first fight [with Top Rank]. I know my opponent isn’t really big caliber at my weight, but I respect him and I’m so happy. They showed it [the fight] in the Philippines so everybody got to see it, I am so excited right now,” said Mercito in the post fight interview. He added, “I want to make my own name in the Philippines and if they give me a bigger opponent next, maybe a world title, I’m going to make sure I am ready.”

“We’re going to keep him busy because he is a young fighter, but I would like before the end of the year to have him fight for a world title,” said Top Rank boss Bob Arum, adding, “I really believe this kid, I don’t want to be too ethnic, but he is the next Manny Pacquiao.”

Those are big statements which I believe to be true, and when asked about Arum’s comments Mercito replied, “It feels so good, it makes me want to train harder, push more and fight again.”

In his first trip to the ring on a much bigger stage than the club fights in San Diego where Mercito cut his teeth, the southpaw showed great mental and physical prowess, displaying an array of powerful and swift punches. While some pundits and boxing heads alike, would have liked to see a tougher opponent then Pimental or Francisco Lorenzo for “No Mercy.” They need to understand that this is a business and Bob Arum wanted to see exactly what he purchased, with an opponent for Gesta that could present challenges while also being assured that Mercito’s chances of victory were high.

Gesta’s originally slated opponent, the tough former world title challenger Francisco Lorenzo perfectly fit that bill. While he is on the downside of his career, Lorenzo has been in with the best the likes of Juan Diaz, Erik Morales, Humberto Soto etc…, and has never been knocked out. Mercito hasn’t been in the ring with a world class fighter like Lorenzo and it would have been a nice step up in competition. So for anyone who thought Lorenzo was cherry picked and not worthy, just stop.

Unfortunately Lorenzo had to pull out and Gesta ended up fighting Jorge Pimental. This is boxing and we all know these things happen, it was out of Gesta’s control. What was in Mercito’s control was what he did with his opportunity no matter who was staring across at him, and he took the initiative passing the test with flying colors, and in scintillating fashion.

After speaking with Top Ranks Lee Samuels yesterday, he relayed how excited they are about Mercito’s future and how they couldn’t have been happier with his performance. And for all the people that thought Mercito was being fed a tuna can, rest assured, Samuels also revealed that they plan on putting Gesta in huge events in the very near future.

For a 23-year-old fighter just hitting the big stage, Gesta has veteran instruments. He is constantly compared to Manny Pacquaio, but here’s one thing that’s definitely not the same, Pacman did not possess the skills at 23 that Gesta does. Pacman was a one trick pony for a while [although it was a great and effective trick] who charged forward like a bull and beat you with the straight left, power and aggression. Now, Pacquiao’s much more refined, better footwork and head movement, beautiful angles, and has a devastating right hook that didn’t used to be in his arsenal.

Mercito already possesses all those instruments as well as gorgeous uppercuts and other natural abilities. Of course Mercito has some faults and things that need to be worked on like any young fighter, and it remains to be seen if he has the mental toughness of his countries legendary Manny Pacquaio. But the writing is on the wall, and we will eagerly watch Mercito Gesta pen the rest of this story with his fist as the light of boxing shines on him.

This Filipino firecracker known as “No Mercy,” has all the talent in the world and possesses abilities that cannot be taught. He’s like fine wine bottled up, ready to pop at the cork and explode onto the scene. Mercito was born in the gym and fighting is what he was made for. With a much bigger audience able to see Gesta fight, the chatter and hype have begun throughout the boxing world about a new Manny Pacquiao. But Mercito is not Manny Pacquiao, he is the one and only Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta. While he admires Manny tremendously and looks up to him, he is his own man and only strives to be the best Mercito Gesta he can be.

“I’m not trying to be the next Manny, just the first Mercito. Like someone told me Riddick Bowe used to say, “I didn’t say I’m the greatest, just the latest,’ intoned Gesta.

The scary thing is, he may be better!

All Photos by Maria Hedrick