Mercito Gesta Upsets Joel Diaz Jr!
Former two-time lightweight title challenger Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta (33-3-3, 17KOs) gets back into the winning column after shocking Joel Diaz Jr (26-3, 22KOs) for the victory.
Gesta, at this point in his career, is considered a solid veteran fighter. However, he is a two-time title challenger that came up short against IBF lightweight champion Miguel Vazquez in 2012 and three-divisional champion Jorge Linares in 2018. Moreover, he was 1-2-1 in his last four fights and has not been in the ring since 2019. This victory kept him from falling into journeyman status and could provide new life to his career.
Diaz was once a hot prospect as he was going up the ranks in the junior welterweight division racking up the wins. In 2017, the undefeated fighter hit a speed bump in the form of former WBA champion Regis Prograis. He suffered his first career loss after being stopped in the second round. In 2019, he suffered another brutal third-round stoppage against Cristian Rafael Coria.
The 30-year-old from California was fighting under the Golden Boy Banner in hopes of giving his career a boost. It will be interesting to see where he goes following another disappointing defeat.
FIREWORKS OUT THE GATE
Gesta, who claimed the long layoff revitalized him, went into attack mode from the sound of the bell. His blazing hand speed, footwork, and counter-punching were on full display as he landed a counter straight left hand to knock down Diaz in round one. Diaz got up only to be hit with another sharp counter and went back down again.
Diaz’s corner told him they were going to give him one more round before considering stopping the fight. Already in a big hole, Diaz started letting his hands go, landing hard body shots and hoping to slow down the more mobile Gesta.
As the fight continued, it became a test of wills. Diaz started to heat up by coming forward landing the straight right hand and left and right hooks to the body. However, Gesta would respond with a straight left hand that couldn’t miss due to Diaz keeping his head on the centerline.
A GOOD WAR TO THE END
Down the stretch, the theme of the fight was Gesta getting off early with the straight left hand and counter uppercut while bouncing on his toes. However, Diaz would come on strong towards the end of the rounds. pinning Gesta against the ropes and landing hard body shots and bone-crushing double hook combinations.
In the closing rounds, Gesta got back up on his toes and began to land that straight left hand that was money throughout the fight. He would even find a way to hit the following Diaz with a right hook, uppercut combination.
Diaz was the aggressor but was ineffective. He landed the occasional straight right hand, but kept getting caught with the right hook, straight left-hand counters.
As the final bell sounded, it was now in the hands of the judge’s scorecards. Two judges scored it 96-92, one had it 95-93, all in favor of the Filipino, Gesta, who fought inspired by the expectation of the upcoming birth of his first child.
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By: Garrisson Bland
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