CEBUANO ex-world title challenger Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta made a rousing comeback after he scored an eight-round knockout victory against Martin Honorio of Mexico in the undercard of HBO After Dark yesterday at the Forum in Inglewood, California, USA.
The 29-year old Gesta, who ended a two-year layoff, showcased his old deadly form by dominating each round against the equally experienced Mexican two-time ex-world title challenger.
The San Remegio town-native boxer peppered Honorio with fierce jab-straight combinations in the opening round.
Gesta continued his aggressive attacks in the ensuing rounds until he found an opening and connected on a two-punch combo that sent Honorio down to the canvas in the fourth round.
Honorio managed to beat the count of referee Tom Taylor only to get tagged by jabs and straights by the Cebuano boxing sensation.
In the seventh round, Honorio tried to make a comeback by pushing forward and pressuring Gesta, but the latter prevented him from closing in with stiff jabs followed by straights that rocked the head of the Mexican.
In the eighth round, Gesta perfectly landed a jab-straight combination that staggered Honorio, which prompted Taylor to stop the carnage at the 18-second mark.
Gesta, thus, improved to 31W-1L-2D, 17KOs, while Honorio suffered his 11th defeat with 33 wins, 16 knockouts and one draw.