Four Pinoy pugs hope to steal part of show

CEBU, Philippines -  Before eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao takes on Juan Manuel Marquez in a highly-anticipated fourth showdown this morning at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, four Filipino fighters led by the undefeated Mercito "No Mercy" Gesta and Michael "Hammer Fist" Fareñas will take centerstage in the equally-explosive undercards of the blockbuster event.

Gesta, who hails from Mandaue City but is now based in California, will challenge IBF lightweight champion Miguel Vazquez of México, while Farenas will take on the undefeated former world featherweight champion Yuriokis Gamboa of Cuba for the interim WBA super featherweight crown.

The unbeaten Gesta (26-0-1, 14KOs) has been touted as the heir apparent to Pacquiao. He hasn’t gone the distance in a fight in over a year having won all his 2012 bouts by knockout. He is currently world-rated No. 5 by the IBF.

Gesta will test the mettle of Vazquez (32-3, 13KOs), who captured the vacant IBF lightweight belt in 2010 via a unanimous decision victory over Korean Ji-Hoon Kim. He has successfully defended his throne four times during his two-year reign, most recently against Marvin Quintero on October 27.

On the other hand, the Parañaque City-native Fareñas (33-3-4, 26KOs) is managed by former two-division world champion and Filipino icon Gerry Peñalosa, trained by Pacquiao's assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez and promoted by Pacquiao's MP Promotions.

With only one loss in his previous 29 bouts, 17 of his last 24 victories have come by way of knockout. Fareñas enters this fight after challenging undefeated WBA super featherweight champion Takashi Uchiyama in a hotly-contested match last July 16 that was stopped in the third round when the defending champion suffered a bad cut over his right eye due to a head butt. The bout was declared a technical draw.

Also set to see action in the preliminary bouts are the unbeaten Cebuano super bantamweight contender Dodie Boy “Dugong Kampeon” Peñalosa Jr. (9-0-0, 9 KOs) and Ernie Sanchez (13-3-0, 5KOs) of General Santos City.

Sanchez will open the fireworks versus Coy Evans (10-1-1, 2KO) of Philadelphia, while Peñalosa will follow suit against Jesus Lule Raya (6-4-0, 1KO) of Fort Meyers, Florida in another eight-rounder battle. (FREEMAN)