Mercito Gesta & Vince Parra–Ready for More!

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“No Mercy” Southpaw Fights on July 9

All Photos by Maria Hedrick

Lightweight Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta is looking to shine in his Top Rank debut on July 9 at the Home Depot Center in Carson. The SoCal boxer will be making his debut as a new signee under Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum’s banner. The Filipino southpaw (21-0-1, 11 KOs) will be featured on the undercard of the Brandon Rios vs. Urbano Antillon WBA Lightweight Championship main event airing on Showtime. Gesta’s opponent will be named shortly.

I caught up with Team Gesta at this week’s news conference at the Wilshire Grand in downtown Los Angeles. Mercito was with his co-manager and coach, Vincent Parra. The two train in the San Diego area while also putting in time at Wild Card in Hollywood.

As an unbeaten rising star, the 23-year-old has already caught the eye of many who are looking for the next “big thing” in boxing. While his talent speaks for itself, there will always be a multitude of comparisons to another exciting and sharp Filipino southpaw fighting out of the Top Rank stable, the enormous and global force known as Manny Pacquiao. While “MP” in now conquering the world of politics as well, “MG” hopes to carve out his own successful career while he aims high toward his own shot at world titles.

During his visit to L.A., the well-mannered young man said he is happy and appreciative to be part of the Top Rank family.

“I’m gonna show that I can be the best!” he promised after being introduced at the podium. Gesta began his pro career in the Philippines in 2003 and has ascended through the ranks since then while keeping his win streak intact. The Filipino is a WBO NABO Youth Lightweight titlist who is also ranked #2 by WBO at 135.

At the packed media gathering, there were plenty of intense and profanity-laced verbal jabs between the two headliners of Rios and Antillon. After a face-off between the pair of Mexican warriors, “Bam Bam” Rios and Urbano Antillon lingered on stage with those of us in the ballroom wondering if the taunts and threats between the hard-punching duo would actually lead to fisticuffs. It didn’t come to that. But there were some tense moments and we were all poised to witness an impromptu fist fight on stage.

After the lightweight rivals stepped away, another lightweight bomber took the spot for the corp of photographers assembled. Gesta simply walked to the end of the stage, posing and shaking hands with Mike Lee, the popular Notre Dame boxer who will also be on the July 9 bill. And after the F-Bomb barrage by the always entertaining Rios, I took notice of Gesta’s quiet and calm confidence when it was his turn in the spotlight.

He may be humble and mellow outside of the ring, but make no bones about it–Gesta drops into “beast mode” once inside the ropes. With his ring moniker of “No Mercy,” Mercito has that killer instinct that separates a champion from the huge pool of contenders.

Want more proof that this prizefighter could very well be the next big star in the sport?

Veteran Bob Arum brought the Philippines’ Gesta to the mic by telling us, “Manny Pacquiao has caused a ‘revolution’ over there” while introducing Gesta, whom he raves “is on the cusp of real stardom!”

His team says he’s ready too. Mercito last fight was in February in San Francisco; now he looks forward to making a splash in L.A.

Chatting with the San Diego camp, trainer Vince Parra is confident of his thriving and hard-hitting charge. Parra, a former fighter, current trainer and manager, says Team Gesta is a solid one who believes they have a future superstar in the making. Vince’s father, Norman “Bumpy” Parra and none other than Pacquiao’s trainer himself, Freddie Roach, have also worked with the talented lightweight.

“My father consults us, as well as Freddie Roach. Freddie will be working closer with Mercito in the near future too,” Parra relayed to me. “It’s a great team; we have great help and wisdom.”

Seeing both boxer and trainer sporting clean bald fades, white shirts and crisp black blazers, Team Gesta is seemingly in sync outside the squared circle as well.

And during the Rios-Antillon ruckus on stage, boxing coach Parra showed his pure confidence in his prized pupil.

“Top Rank has the best 135 pounders in the world,” Vince said. Looking to his side toward Gesta, then moving his focus to both Brandon, 25, and Urbano, 28, Parra also showed his chutzpah while saying to the pair of brawlers and to us in the audience, “You’ll see the kid (Gesta) coming up on their heels. Take notice–this ‘youngster’s’ on their tail!”

I asked his trainer why they’ve been really calling out Oxnard’s “Bam Bam” Rios of late.

“Because he wants the best and Brandon Rios is the best lightweight right now. It’s not necessarily that he wants Brandon, he just wants to fight the best in his weight,” Vince smiles. “So if that ain’t gonna happen right now, or the next day or even after this next fight…it will sometime. We feel, he is ready for it–and Brandon’s more than willing to fight him.”

Yes, Gesta is more than willing to fight the Robert Garcia-trained Brandon Rios or anyone else for that matter.

“We push for tough people right off the bat; we’re not looking to be protected. The thing that keeps him going is the prospect of somebody ‘getting him.’ That’s what really drives him,” notes his coach. “But for now we’re gonna show the public and show Top Rank who he is. We feel very confident where he’s at–the proof will be in his performance. We’re #2 in the WBO right now and will be #1 by the end of the year.”

After Gesta’s July 9 bout is completed, Vince is open to taking on anybody, including the winner of the Rios-Antillon clash, IBF Lightweight Champ Miguel Vazquez, or even a certain scaly green monster from Japan.

“When this kid’s at 110%, if ‘Godzilla’ can make135 pounds–WE’LL FIGHT HIM!” Parra tells me with a grin.

After I laugh at his last statement, Vince adds one more thing.

“That’s real talk, that’s not being cocky,” the amiable trainer explains with a nod. “We just know what we got.”

With his winning ledger, Parra’s undefeated slugger sure looks ready–and ready for more.

Ready for a broader scope, ready for a bigger stage, and ready for a brighter limelight.

And according to his trainer, he’s even ready for “Godzilla”!

Maybe not on the silver screen but in the boxing ring, Mercito Gesta is ready for his close-up.

Having “No Mercy” on his July 9 challenger (which is a safe bet to say it won’t be the roaring fictional beast from Japan), the lightweight is more than ready as he looks forward to starring in his own summer showdown.

Tickets: www.ticketmaster.com

Photos by Maria Hedrick

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