Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta is currently scheduled to fight lightweight prospect Hector Tanajara on July 24th, and he is training with his father during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Gesta, 32, who comes from the Philippines but trains out of San Diego, California, is signed to Golden Boy Promotions and is a former lightweight world title challenger, falling short in both title bids against Miguel Vazquez and Jorge Linares.
The Filipino southpaw is eager to step back into the ring and feels a renewed energy as he tries to prove to the boxing world that he can still compete in the division despite suffering a KO loss and Draw in his last two fights before the Coronavirus hit.
Gesta has always mentioned how Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao’s success in boxing gave him the confidence to dare to be great in the ring.
Pacquiao has long been the most iconic sports star to come out of the Philippines and of one of the greatest boxers of this generation. His rags to riches success story gave many the belief that they too could be world champions if they train and fight hard.
In a recent interview with Boxing Social, Gesta said Pacquiao’s achievements in boxing inspired him and many other Filipino boxers to believe in themselves and to fight with all their heart.
“He’s a big, big influence,” said Gesta to Boxing Social of his fellow countryman Manny Pacquiao. “Before Manny, we had a couple of fighters before Manny, like Gerry Penalosa, but Manny’s the one who continues, you thought he was there already and that’s it but he still keeps going up. I think the influences not just to see them but mentality wise for a lot of our Filipino fighters. Before when they were fighting outside of our country its okay for them to think if I lose its okay because I fought outside of our country, and I made it. Now it’s different they are thinking about Pacquiao and if I fight outside the country I need to win, don’t think about losing it. Manny really influenced us including myself to think when you fight out there, think you are the best, fight with all your heart and try to win it and that is how Manny influenced a lot of us.”
Gesta believes that the 41-year-old WBA welterweight champion doesn’t need to fight the younger, bigger, stronger guys like Errol Spence Jr. or Terence Crawford because he already solidified his legacy and has nothing left to prove.
The fight Gesta would like to see if Pacquiao only has one fight left is a rematch with Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. because they are both around the same age and stage of their careers.
