Rivalry Builds? Brandon Rios, Gesta Trainers Trade Barbs

By Ryan Songalia

Those looking for future opponents for WBA lightweight champion Brandon Rios may not need to look any further than the undercard of his most recent conquest.

Vincent Parra - trainer/manager of unbeaten lightweight contender Mercito Gesta of San Diego, Calif. by way of Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines - feels that his charge is just the man to take the luster off Rios' undefeated record.

The 23-year-old Gesta scored a third-round knockout of Jorge Pimentel last Saturday in the preliminaries to the 25-year-old Oxnard, Calif. resident Rios' third round knockout of Urbano Antillon at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

"All respect to Brandon Rios who put on a hell of a fight with Urbano Antillon, he's a beast and all the above. He's the best lightweight in the world, but man, I watched that fight over and over and his style is tailor made for my guy," said Parra.

"It may not happen soon for business reasons; that's the kind of fight you have to build up over a period of time. Mercito has some proving to do, he has some fights to win.

"But for me in all honesty, Mercito handles him. People are gonna call me crazy, but that's just what I see. Rios is a hell of a fighter, but what Mercito needs is a guy like Rios to just bring out the best in him."

Both Rios (28-0-1, 21 KO) and Gesta (22-0-1, 12 KO) are promoted by Top Rank Inc., which simplifies the road to a clash between the two.

Rios' trainer Roberto Garcia - who also guides world bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire and former welterweight champ Antonio Margarito - is dismissive of Parra's claims.

"I know Mercito doesn't wanna be in the ring with Brandon Rios, that's just the manager saying that," said Garcia. "Right now, everyone wants a shot at Brandon because he's the world champion, but Mercito's not even in his league.

"We're looking at bigger and better things. We're talking about unifying the title, fighting the best like Juan Manuel Marquez and Marco Antonio Barrera. What does [Gesta] bring to the table?"

Instead, Garcia challenged Gesta to face another of his pupils - Rolando Reyes. Reyes, 31-4-2 (20 KO), hasn't fought in two years, but is riding a five-fight win streak since losing to former lightweight champ Jose Luis Castillo, including knockout wins over faded former champs Julio Diaz and Stevie Johnston.

"If Gesta beats him, then we'll give him a shot at Brandon," said Garcia.

Responded Parra: "Rolando Reyes who struggled to a decision with Ivan Valle, who we took out in two? Sure, lets do it!"

Ryan Songalia is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) and contributes to GMA News and the Filipino Reporter newspaper in New York City. He can be reached at ryan@ryansongalia.com . An archive of his work can be found at www.ryansongalia.com . Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ryansongalia .