INGLEWOOD, CA – JANUARY 27: Mercito Gesta (L) lands a left hand to the head of Jorge Linares of Venezuela during their bout at The Forum on January 27, 2018 in Inglewood, California. Jeff Gross/Getty Images/AFP
Mercito Gesta suffered another hard fall while Romeo Duno sustained his rapid climb in the ring ladder Saturday night (Sunday in Manila) in the US.
The Mandaue-born now San Diego-based Gesta bowed to Jorge Linares by unanimous decision, 118-110, 118-110, 117-111, in their battle for the Venezuelan’s World Boxing Association lightweight crown at The Forum in Inglewood, California.
The 30-year-old Gesta showed flashes of brilliance and aggressiveness in the first round, but once Linares, 32, figured him out, the fight turned one sided.
It was the second time that Gesta, now 31-2-2 with 17 knockouts, failed in his world title bid. In 2012, he also lost to Mexican Miguel Vasquez in their duel for the International Boxing Federation lightweight title.
Linares improved to 44-3, 27 knockouts, with his seventh title defense that set him up for a possible title unification bout with World Boxing Council lightweight titlist Mikey Garcia.
The hard-hitting Duno, fighting out of Sanman Promotions of JC Manangquil and Dexter Tan, caught Yardley Suarez in a neutral corner and unloaded heavy bombs that dropped the Mexican with 1:07 left in the first round of another lightweight tussle.
The General Santos City-born Duno, being trained by Rodel Mayol and handled by Golden Boy Promotions, raised his record to 16-1 with 14 KOs. Suarez dropped to 22-10, 12 KOs. —ROY LUARCA