By Rey Danseco
ONE of the three Filipino fighters scheduled to see action in championship bouts in Johannesburg, South Africa on Friday, has been declared unfit to fight.
Unbeaten superbantam Mercito Gesta was declared unfit after he failed a medical examination on Tuesday, despite the fact that he was given a clean bill of health at the pre-medical conducted earlier at Boxing South Africa offices in Midrand.
With this unfortunate development, Gesta’s supposedly title fight against reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) International featherweight king Jeffrey Mathebula has been cancelled.
Gesta, who has 8-0-1 with 2 knockouts, had secured the bout as a late substitute after the widrawal of another Filipino fighter, Warlito Paderna.
However, the scheduled fights of the hard-hitting Benedict Suico and another unbeaten Pinoy, Gabriel Pumar will push through.
Suico (12-1, 9 KOs) takes on Mhikiza Myekeni (20-2, 8 KOs) for the WBC International flyweight championship while Pumar (8-0, 5 KOs) faces fellow undefeated Tshepo Lefele (13-0, 8 KOs) for the WBC International minimumweight crown at the Wembley Arena in Johannesburg, dubbed "Parade of Champions”.
It will be the WBC No. 12 Lefele’s first title defense after taking the vacant crown with a majority decision win over another Pinoy, Elmer Gejon on June 24 in East London, South Africa.
While Myekeni, ranked No. 3 by the WBC, put his belt on the line for the 2nd time since taking the vacant title after disposing RP light flyweight champ Sonny Boy Jaro in sixth round in April of last year in Secunda, South Africa.
The bout will be Pumar’s first outside of the Philippines as he made all of his fight in central Philippines. While Suico faltered in his first bout abroad, a fourth round knockout loss to Kaichon Sor Vorapin in Thailand in February of last year.
