Gesta to stop Cuero inside four rounds

Cebuano Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta is gunning for an abbreviated victory when he battles Colombian opponent Oscar Cuero today  in the undercard of the WBA lightweight championship bout between Mexican Brandon “Bam-Bam” Rios and Richard Abril at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada.

According to Gesta’s father Aniceto, his unbeaten son is aiming to knockout Cuero inside four rounds. Gesta and Cuero took the scales yesterday with the Filipino a pound lighter than his Colombian foe.

Gesta weighed in at 137lbs while Cuero tipped the scales at 138lbs. They will tangle in a 10-round non-title bout in the undercard of the double main event.

“As what we have seen, Cuero has a cement jaw because we saw his other tapes. He hasn’t been knocked down, so we are planning to attack the body and be cautious all the time,” Anecito told Cebu Daily News.

Gesta and his father, who also serve as his trainer and mentor alongside chief trainer Vince Parra, flew to the US together last January.

The 24-year-old Gesta, who is undefeated in 24 bouts with 12 knockouts, is eyeing for no less than a knockout victory against the 26-year-old Cuero, who sports a record of 15 wins and seven losses with 12KOs.

“If I am not wrong, Mercito and I agreed that we will end the bout in the fourth round,” added Anecito.

A victory will put the Cebuano slugger closer to a world title challenge. Earlier Gesta said that his main objective this year is to fight three-division world champion Juan Manuel Marquez.

Marquez is also fighting today in Mexico City as he guns for his fourth world title against Serhiy Fedchenko of Ukraine. They will tangle for the WBO interim light welterweight crown.

Meanwhile, Rios was two pounds over the weight limit during yesterday’s weigh-in. /CORRESPONDENTS DALE G. ROSAL and Rene Bonsubre Jr.