
By Miguel Maravilla at ringside
In a super lightweight clash elevated to main event status after the sudden implosion of the Zurdo-Rosado headliner, Filipino veteran Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta (34-3-3, 17 KOs) from San Diego was victorious Saturday night in taking a ten round split decision over former world champion and 2012 U.S Olympian Joseph “JoJo” Diaz, Jr. (32-4-1, 15 KOs) of South El Monte, California at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, California.
Gesta worked from the start, letting his hands go. He was busier than Diaz but Diaz connected with the right hand towards the end of the opening round. Staying busy and jabbing in the second, Gesta outworked Diaz. Things began to pick up in the third as Diaz and Gesta exchanged inside with the Filipino fighting off the ropes and the 2012 Olympian on the attack. In the fourth, Diaz stood close and applied pressure with Gesta mixing it up using the jab from a distance and trading. Continue reading “Gesta beats JoJo by split decision”