It has been over two years since Mercito Gesta’s last fight. That does not mean he has been sitting and waiting for the opportunity to return to the ring. 

Gesta has been in the gym training while waiting for that opportunity to resume his career. That will be Thursday night, as he squares off against Joel Diaz, Jr in a 10-round bout at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California (DAZN, 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT).

The Gesta-Diaz bout will be an intriguing crossroads clash between a former world title challenger and a hard-hitting puncher in desperate need of a win. The winner will put himself into contention in a competitive lightweight division.

Gesta (32-3-3, 17 knockouts), who is originally from Mandaue City in the Philippines and now resides in San Diego, Calif., last fought in November 2019, fighting to a technical draw against Carlos Morales. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted Gesta’s return to action and there were proposed fights that fell through.

The southpaw Gesta never questioned whether he would return to the ring, even with his involvement in projects outside the ring and the upcoming birth of his first child. 

Diaz (26-2, 22 KOs) will provide a test for Gesta, having won his last two bouts after suffering losses to Regis Prograis and Cristian Coria. Gesta is not taking him lightly, but wants to prove he is capable of facing and defeating the likes of Diaz.

“I think my experience will give me the edge in this fight,” Gesta told The Ring in a recent phone interview. “I need to use that and I need to use my speed. (I) just (need to) be smart and continue to do what we’ve been working on during training camp. It’s a great comeback fight for me and for him as well. I know he’s had to make some adjustments as well. I’m prepared and ready for this, even though I’ve been out for a while. I kept myself busy and I kept training. 

“Sometimes if the fighter (like Diaz) pressures and the opponent can’t take the pressure, it could be different or the other way around. If the pressure fighter keeps attacking, he might be open to being countered. I don’t know what their game plan is, but it’s not new to me because I fought hard-hitting guys and pressure fighters, like Diaz. Oscar Meza (in June 2010) comes to mind. He was a strong fighter with a lot of knockouts on his record. I’ve faced those types of fighters so it’s not new to me. I’m used to this, especially with what Diaz could bring.”

Mercito Gesta with trainer Marvin Somodio. Photo by Lizette De Los Santos /Golden Boy

Gesta has fought the better opposition between the two. His most notable fight took place in January 2018 against then-WBA lightweight titleholder Jorge Linares, losing by unanimous decision. His record includes a loss to then-IBF lightweight titleholder Miguel Vazquez and victories over Carlos Molina, Gilberto Gonzalez, Martin Honorio and Robert Manzanarez. 

A win would put Gesta back into title contention, but he also knows he has to impress in his clash Thursday against Diaz. 

“It really depends on my performance (on getting another high-profile fight),” said Gesta, who is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions. “I do believe that if I perform well and I look good in the ring, I could have bigger fights come my way. Even before the Diaz fight was made, I’ve been training at Wild Card (Gym in Hollywood, California) with (trainer) Marvin Somodio. I had been out for a while, but I kept myself busy. When I found out about the Diaz fight and it was finalized, I pretty much continued. A win over Diaz would definitely put me back in the mix at 135 pounds.”

Gesta has counted on the expertise of Somodio over the last several months. A former contender, Somodio has served as an understudy of famed trainer Freddie Roach. 

The 34-year-old is grateful for not only the knowledge he has gained from Somodio, but also the camaraderie they share inside the gym.

“Having a coach where both of you agree on aspects of training camp is a plus,” said Gesta. “Marvin is really smart. He really knows what to do. He knows how to read the opponent and the fighter he trains. Marvin doesn’t focus on one style. Even if a fighter has been used to fighting a particular way, Marvin can enhance and improve on a style and make you better. Technique-wise, I learned a lot about training with Marvin. I feel confident. I feel he brought a lot of things to the table and everything has worked out well. He’s confident. We’re ready to go for this fight.

Gesta may or may not have many fights left in a modest career, but he is aiming to land one more significant fight before calling it quits. He believes he learned a great deal from the losses early on in his career to move forward and still fulfill his goal of winning a world title belt. 

“Those losses taught me things not only as a fighter, but myself. I know that the loss to Linares could have brought me down, but I became more motivated. I looked at the video and I saw what I did wrong. If there was a rematch against Linares, the outcome would be different. Now that I have Marvin in my corner, and also having my Dad with me, it’s a huge benefit for me. With all those losses I’ve had, I’ve gained more experience and confidence in who I am as a fighter.”

Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing