Who can JoJo Diaz fight next after a controversial Mercito Gesta defeat?

In a fight shown live on DAZN, Gesta snatched a result that others thought should have been given the other way, and marked a third consecutive defeat for Diaz, who was once touted as a potential lightweight champion.

Ak said he could see why the fight was given in Gesta’s favour, but thought it was a balanced fight. 

“I thought it was a close fight,” he began. “I thought Gesta was busy, peppery, but backing up most of the fight, and I thought JoKo Diaz landed the bigger shots throughout the entire night. 

“Yes, he lost rounds, yes at times Gesta outworked him, but if I had to judge that fight I would have given it to Diaz. I’m not upset at them giving it to Gesta, I definitely wouldn’t have been upset with a draw. 

“I think it was very entertaining, a lot of those scores were very difficult to score in my opinion.  Watching it ringside, I thought JoKo landed a lot of power shots and a lot of body shots that I think maybe the judges overlooked. Remember, body shots are still a lot of the big shots landing. I think that goes over a lot of people’s heads.”

Bess believes the volume of punches are not always a measure of who was the most dangerous fighter.

 However he thinks that Diaz’s style does not necessarily suit his strengths.

“Where’s Compubox when you need him?” he asked. 

“We need to know the disparity in the punches thrown, and punches landed. I kind of think that, not that punches thrown tells the whole story - because they don’t - I just feel like JoJo Diaz, his style, doesn’t fit him perfectly because he’s not a power puncher, so you can't give up a lot of shots.

“I heard him say in the corner that he hurt his hand, but it didn’t look like his hand hurt. But he could not hurt Mercito, no matter how flush his shots were. So do you still keep fighting that way?” 

Given the contentious outcome and lack of obvious opponents for the pair, Bess suggested they run it back.

He added: “The fight was so close, why not do a rematch? If you told me Diaz had won, I’d have said OK.”