Gesta wants Brandon Rios title shot

By Boxing News - 09/17/2011 - Comments

By Chris Williams: Unbeaten lightweight contender Mercito Gesta (22-0-1, 12 KO’s) faces Manuel Perez (16-6-1, 4 KO’s) in a scheduled 10 round bout at the Bluewater Resort & Casino in Parker, Arizona. This should be another easy fight for the the 23-year-old Gesta, because Perez has lost two out of his last four fights.

However, Gesta wants to take on WBA lightweight champion Brandon Rios (28-0-1, 21 KO’s) soon and I think that’s a bad idea for Gesta. Going from facing 2nd and 3rd tier guys the way that Gesta has been doing to fighting Rios, the best fighter in the division, would be a crazy thing.

There’s talk of Gesta fighting on the undercard of the November 12th fight because Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez. Obviously, that won’t be against Rios, because Rios is looking for a fighter that is well known among the casual boxing fans. Gesta is known only among hardcore boxing fans in the U.S, and of course among his fellow countrymen from the Philippines.

I think Gesta needs a ton of more experience before being put in with a fighter like Rios. I’ve seen Gesta matched against nothing but lower quality fighters and he hasn’t even shined against them in many cases. The hand speed and the defense just isn’t there for Gesta. I know he’s been given a high ranking of number #2 by the WBO and #9 by the WBA, but I think Gesta doesn’t deserve that ranking to be honest. He looks more like a fringe contender if that. You put a fighter with slow hands and poor defensive skills like Gesta in with Rios and we’re talking a one-sided beating.



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