Gesta returned to the ring after roughly three years away from professional boxing, but the 38-year-old Filipino veteran could not secure the victory against the younger de Jesus in their scheduled 10-round super-lightweight bout at Frontwave Arena.
The matchup was part of the ProBox TV card headlined by Giovani Santillan and Abass Baraou. Gesta entered the fight with a 34-4-3 record and 17 knockouts, while de Jesus came in at 14-2 with 10 knockouts.
The defeat came in Gesta’s first fight since September 2023, when he was stopped in the sixth round by then-unbeaten William “El Camarón” Zepeda in Commerce, California. That loss had kept Gesta sidelined for nearly three years before he decided to make another run in the sport.
Despite the long layoff, Gesta remained a notable figure in Filipino boxing. The Mandaue City native had previously captured the WBO-NABO lightweight title and challenged twice for major world championships—against Miguel Vazquez for the IBF lightweight crown in 2012 and Jorge Linares for the WBA lightweight title in 2018.
His most recent victory before the Zepeda loss came against former world champion Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr. in March 2023, when Gesta won a split decision in California.
A difficult comeback assignment
Gesta’s return was always expected to be a test. De Jesus, 24, was 14-2 with 10 knockouts heading into the bout and was coming off a 2025 decision loss to Anthony Cuba. He was also considerably younger and more active than the veteran Filipino.
The two fighters also shared a southpaw stance, adding another tactical layer to the matchup.
Gesta and de Jesus both weighed in inside the super-lightweight limit, with de Jesus at 140.8 pounds and Gesta at 140.4 pounds during the official weigh-in.
Gesta’s return had generated attention among Filipino boxing fans because of his lengthy career and previous world-title opportunities. His professional journey has included victories over respected names such as Diaz Jr., Joel Diaz Jr. and Robert Manzanarez, alongside his two unsuccessful world-title challenges.
The loss to de Jesus now leaves questions about what comes next for the veteran Cebuano.
At 38 and coming off a three-year absence, Gesta faces a pivotal decision: whether to continue chasing another run in boxing or begin closing the chapter on a career that has already included two world-title opportunities and years of competing at the highest levels.
For now, one thing is certain—the comeback did not produce the result Gesta wanted.
But for a fighter known as “No Mercy,” Friday’s setback may not necessarily be the final bell.
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