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Molina & Gesta Battle To Draw
By William Trillo @ Ringside
Photos: Marlene Marquez
As soon as this fight was announced last month it was just
assumed this battle was going to be a war...and it was.
Super lightweights Mercito Gesta (28-1-2, 16 KO’s) and
Carlos Molina (17-2-2, 7 KO’s) gave the fans in attendance
and those watching on Fox Sports a barn burner in every
sense of the word.
From the opening seconds when Gesta reached out to tap
Molina's glove only to get busted in the chops we knew this
was going to be a good one. In a surprise to this writer,
Gesta, another in the long line of Filipino southpaws opened
up the fight in the orthodox stance, he didn't seem to fare
well. Molina looked sharp and was landing the cleaner and
stronger punches over those first three rounds.
But in round four Gesta went back to his familiar Southpaw
stance and right away you could see the difference. Molina
seemed a bit off balance and before the round was over he
was sporting a swollen left eye.
The bout was hard fought over the next few rounds but Gesta
just seemed to be faster to the punch and sharper once he
went leftie.
In round nine Molina seemed to capture some steam and he did
the bulk of the damage in this round landing shots on Gesta
that had sweat spraying all over the ring.
It was very close going into round ten and both fighters
fought like they knew it. The action remained hot for the
last three minutes and if there was an edge in the final
stanza I would give it to Molina.
On my scorecard I gave Molina rounds 1-3, Gesta rounds 4-8
and Molina got rounds 9-10. Quick math tells me that is a
draw.
Much to my surprise official scores read as follows, 98-92
Molina, 96-94 Gesta and 95-95 a draw.
Lightweight Jeffrey Fontanez (17-1, 12 KO’s) needed exactly
1 minute and 49 seconds to finish his work with Jose
Hernandez (15-10-1, 7 KO’s).
The Puerto Rican dynamo hit
Hernandez with a shot that left little for the imagination,
dude was sleeping.
No need to count for this fight...one and
done.
Super middleweight Yamaguchi Falcoa (6-0, 2 KO’s) was given
his first real professional test as he took on the battle
tested Gerardo Ibarra (14-3, 8 KO’s) in an 8 round slugfest.
Falcoa put constant pressure on for the duration and
certainly controlled the action but Ibarra would not relent.
The two warriors fought toe to toe for most of the fight and
gave the fans in attendance a fine show. Final scores all in
favor of Falcoa read 78-74 across the board.
Super middleweight Jason Quigley (6-0, 5 KO’s) hit Joshua
Snyder (9-12-1, 3 KO’s) with a left right combo at the 44
second mark round two that left no doubt this young Irishman
is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the 168 pound
division.
I have said it from first time I saw him, this kid
is the complete package of talent, style packed with a super
personality that has potential Super Star written all over
his million dollar smile.
Super bantamweight Rafael Gramajo (3-1, 2 KO) put Luis Cosme
(8-7-1, 3 KO’s) to bed early as he KO'd his foe just 67
seconds into round one. Take nothing away from Gramajo, he
did what he had to do. But in regard to Cosme only one word
comes to mind...pathetic. How can you come here to represent
the island and lay down like that?
Super lightweight Ruslan Madiev (4-0, 2 KO) stopped
Christian Santibanez (3-4,2 KO’s) at the 2:14 mark of round
3.
Madiev used a strong overhand right to do the majority of
the damage. Santibanez was tough but the ref, who saw enough
saved him from further damage.
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