Filipino boxer Mercito Gesta has a great opportunity when he faces WBA and WBC Diamond lightweight champion Jorge Linares (43-3, 27 KOs) on January 27 at the Forum in Inglewood, California.
Mecito, who only has one defeat, with 31 victories and two draws, has displayed his great professionalism by enrolling in the WBC's Clean Boxing Program (CBP) for the upcoming fight.
The contest will be televised as the headline bout of an HBO doubleheader.
Gesta is very motivated and believes that he certainly has the skills to overcome the talented Venezuelan fighter.
"After the defeat that I had in 2012, I became a better fighter and a person who accepts challenges in life, so I trained harder and smarter, I was a training partner of Linares and although he has improved I know him well. He is a fighter who knows how to move, knows how to box, but he has visited the canvas, we are working on a plan to be able to come out with the victory," commented Gesta.
"I want a victory... to be a champion is the dream of every fighter. I want to be recognized as one of the best fighters in the world and write my name in the history of boxing, I do not know what will happen in the fight, but I can promise that I will give the very best of me to be victorious."
The loss in 2012 came at the hands of then IBF champion Miguel Vazquez. Gesta has not tasted defeat in his last six fights. There was a bump in the road in 2015 when he fought to a draw with Carlos Molina, but since then he's three in a row including a knockout victory over Martin Honorio in July of this year.
Linares had a banner year with a dominant win in his rematch with Anthony Crolla and then a tough decision over Olympic gold medal winner Luke Campbell.