RP lightweight prospect Gesta plans to show 'No Mercy' vs Valle

With understandably much more attention on Manny Pacquiao's bid for an eighth world title against Antonio Margarito on November 13, Filipino lightweight prospect Mercito "No Mercy" Gesta trains without much fanfare in his adopted hometown of San Diego, California.

The 23-year-old Gesta (19-0-1, nine knockouts) will be facing his toughest assignment to date when he battles Mexican Ivan Valle (28-9-3, 24 KO) in an eight-round bout on October 22 at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel in San Diego. The Los Mochis-born Valle has already battled world champions Humberto Soto and Javier Juaregui and is known for his resistance and durability. For the moment, Gesta finds solace in the shadow of the Filipino boxing icon. "I don't mind being compared to Pacquiao because I admire him a lot," said Gesta, whose next fight will be televised by the Spanish language program Solo Boxeo (Telefutura, 11:30 PM EST). "I just focus on being my own man and let everyone else worry about that." Still, the calls beckon for "The Next Pacquiao" to emerge. It seems as if every year, a raw, young power puncher comes up to be anointed as the heir apparent to "The Pacman". Most notably, Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista and Bernabe Concepcion have failed to live up to the hype. "It's a very lofty, unreachable pinnacle," says Vincent Parra, Gesta's trainer and co-manager. "It's a given because he's the best fighter in the world and he's a southpaw [like Gesta]. My boxer embraces it though because he respects Manny, and if it wasn't for Manny, people wouldn't be talking about him the way they are." Gesta turned pro at age 16 with no amateur background after a 15-fight stint in Muay Thai. Parra says Gesta's inexperience was a blessing because there was no need to adjust to a professional boxing approach. Gesta originally came over to America in 2006 with Pacquiao, with whom he shared an adviser (Michael Koncz) and promoter (Top Rank). When deals with his adviser and promoter soured shortly after he arrived in America, Gesta found himself sidelined for over a year and a half. Gesta continued to train with Carl Peñalosa, brother of former champions Gerry and Dodie Boy Peñalosa, but failed to get a fight for sometime. That's when he met Parra, who was working as a matchmaker for a local promoter in San Diego. Parra arranged for him to fight on two cards he helped promote and then took over as a co-manager. When Carl Peñalosa's visa expired and Gesta was stuck without a trainer, Parra filled that void as well. Gesta has now won six of his last eight fights by knockout, including a dominant fourth round kayo to win a minor title associated with the World Boxing Organization (WBO). With success comes increased expectations, but the team is content to take it one step at a time. "We've been offered big name fights for big money before," Parra begins. "That's one test where I try to see where the fighter's head is. I ask what a fighter wants out of this and if he says 'money' then that's a red flag because he'll take a tough fight even if he's not ready. Mercito is not like that because we've been offered fights he wasn't ready for and he turned them down. He understands that money will come with success." Money is a motivating factor, however. Gesta provides support for his family back in Mandaue City and pays his younger brother's tuition at the University of Cebu Lapu-Lapu & Mandaue (UCLM). So as Gesta's profile rises, so too does the temptation of bigger purses. After Valle, Gesta may just be ready to cash in. "He asks for Juan Manuel Marquez, Michael Katsidis and Brandon Rios and I can't continue to say no," Parra says. "I told him after this fight that he can call out anybody in the world that he likes." "After this fight, I'm going to visit the Philippines, hopefully," says Gesta. "After that, I'll be ready for anyone in my weight." - JVP/KY, GMANews.TV Ryan Songalia is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) and a contributor to GMANews.TV. 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.