De La Hoya signs Kamegai and Gesta to Golden Boy Promotions stable

By Boxing News - 01/09/2015 - Comments

guerrero44444By Dan Ambrose: Golden Boy Promotions president Oscar De La Hoya beefed up his Golden Boy stable this week in signing 12 decent fighters. Unfortunately, none of the names De La Hoys signed are guys that will likely become a future world champion.

The biggest names that De La Hoya signed was #14 WBC fringe welterweight contender Yoshihiro Kamegai (25-2-1, 22 KOs) and lightweight Mercito Gesta (28-1-1, 16 KOs). It’s difficult picturing either of those guys rising up higher than the No.10 spot in their respective divisions.

Gesta was already badly exposed by Miguel Vazquez in 2012. Since then, Gesta has fought only twice, beating journeyman Edgar Riovalle and Luis Arceo. He did win those fights, but we’re talking journeyman and no B-level opposition. Gesta looked so bad against Vazquez that it’s hard to see how he can improve over that performance.

It’s hard to believe that at one time Gesta was compared to Manny Pacquiao, and some fans thought that he would eventually becomea popular fighter like him. However, Gesta’s loss to Vazquez brought those fans down to earth and he’s done zero since then.

Kamegai’s claim to fame was going 12 rounds with Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero last year in June. Kamegai gave Guerrero a lot of problems in that fight with his pressure and power punching, but then against Guerrero made it easy for him by standing right in front of him and staying on the ropes.

Kamegai is a pretty limited fighter who will struggle badly if and when he faces guys that use a little movement. He’ll do well against guys that stand in one place, but he doesn’t have the kind of power or skills that a simple brawler like Maidana has.

If De La Hoya wants to improve Golden Boy Promotions he’s going to need to sign some real quality because Gesta and Kamegai aren’t going to do much.



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