By Jake Donovan
Filipino lightweight prospect Mercito Gesta remained unbeaten after turning back the challenge of determined Mexican trialhorse Oscar Meza, scoring a fourth round stoppage in their Telemundo-televised main event, aired live from A La Carte Event Pavilion in Tampa, Florida.
Plenty of two way contact was featured in the opening round, though Gesta was often able to get the better of the exchanges thanks to his being the far more disciplined of the rwo. Mexa had his moments, including a straight right hand at the end of the round, but was often a little too anxious to initiate the action.
That very aggression allowed Meza to get off to a quick start in the second round, but quickly found himself under siege. Gesta planted his feet and scored with a flurry of power shots while Meza was pinned in a corner.
Action resumed to center ring, where a boxing match briefly threatened to break out until both fighters dug in their heels and threw with mean intentions in the closing seconds of the round.
After two rounds of trading, Gesta attempted to employ a stick and move strategy into his attack. Meza continued to come forward, but left himself open for a counter right hook that perhaps looked and sounded better than was really the case, as he barely budged.
Gesta didn’t seem terribly interested in following up, instead hanging out on the outside, working his jab from the southpaw stance while Meza tried – and failed – to force a faster pace.
Meza continued to inch forward in the fourth round, while Gesta slid back just enough each time to keep himself out of his opponent’s effective punching range. Action threatened to slow down until Gesta decided to introduce his power game.
That would be the turning point of the fight.
The irony in Gesta’s newfound aggression was that it was what Meza had sought the entire fight. A body attack along the ropes left Meza winded and in search of help from the referee, perhaps trying to convince the third man that a low blow landed along the way as he dropped to a knee. Referee Max Parker Jr was having none of it, instead issuing a count until Meza arose prior to the mandatory eight.
Gesta continued to press, believing that a knockout was well within reach. No more knockdowns would occur, although he did enough to beat his man into submission. Meza was visibly winded by rounds end, a matter not lost on his corner, who elected to stop the fight prior to the start of the fifth.
The official time was 3:00 of the fourth round.
Gesta improves to 18-0-1 (8KO) with what by far rates as the best win of a career that began just days after his 16th birthday less than seven years ago.
Meza, whose career claim to fame is an upset win over Jorge Paez Jr, has now dropped two of his last three, failing to 19-4 (17KO).
The show was presented by TKO Boxing, All Star Boxing and Fight Night Productions, LLC.
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com and an award-winning member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Contact Jake at JakeNDaBox@gmail.com.
