Gesta to challenge Linares for WBA World lightweight title

Filipino boxer Mercito Gesta is set to take another shot at World title as he faces WBA World lightweight champion Jorge Linares on January 27.

Gesta, 30, has an impressive record of 31-1-2 is unranked in the WBA standings but is the no. 12 lightweight in the IBF rankings.

And although he’s racked up a total of 34 total fights, Gesta’s only foray into World title territory was when he suffered a 12-round beating to Miguel Vazquez for the IBF Wordl lightweight belt.

“I know that Gesta has speed and power but he hasn’t been at this level before, and on Jan. 27, he’ll know what it’s like to face a World champion,” said Linares (43-3) as per BoxingNews24.com.

Gesta wasn’t the original opponent of Linares, as per BoxingNews24.com, as the Venezuelan was initially in talks with the camp of WBC World lightweight champion Mikey Garcia.

Garcia, though, pulled out of the negotiations and is rumored to be taking on IBF champion Robert Easter Jr. for a unification bout.