Powerful unbeaten lightweight Mercito ‘No Mercy’ Gesta of the Philippines is training at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, Calif. “A lot of hard sparring for Mercito. He is looking very sharp,” said his manager Vince Parra. Gesta, 21-0-1 and ranked WBO #2, is scheduled to fight on the Brandon Rios vs. Urbano Antillon world title card July 9 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. “My father was a professional Muay Thai fighter in the Philippines,” said Gesta. “I trained in Muay Thai at first but I saw that boxing was so popular. I was 15, went to a boxing gym in Cebu and did so well my father let me box. As soon as I hit 16, I had my first real fight.”
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Middleweight contender Matt Korobov, 15-0, of Orotukan, Russia is working out at the Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas. Korobov is wiring in for a fight against Lester Gonzalez, 12-3-2, of San Diego on the Rios vs. Antillon title card on July 9. “We’re in tough against Gonzalez,” said Cameron Dunkin, manager of Korobov. “In the fall we are looking for a real big fight.”
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Tickets for Rios vs. Antillon on July 9 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. are $125, $75, $50, $25 and available on Ticketmaster.com as well as the Home Depot Box Office which is open Monday through Friday, 10 am to 6 pm.
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Heavyweight Andy Ruiz of Mexico is getting his offense tweaked with trainer Miguel Diaz in Las Vegas. Diaz said he getting Ruiz, 10-0, to use his body while driving hard right hand punches. “Andy is working hard and getting into fighting shape,” said Diaz. Ruiz will box on the Diego Magdaleno vs. Alejandro Perez title card July 15 at the Texas Station Gambling Hall & Casino on North Rancho Drive in Las Vegas. Magdaleno has been training at Pat Berry’s Gym in Las Vegas. Perez is at the Wild Card Gym.