MANILA, Philippines – Eumir Marcial believes a return to the professional ranks will do wonders for his gold-medal bid in the Paris Games.

The heavy-handed boxer said he plans to resume his professional career in the United States and take part in one or two fights as he gears up for the Olympics, which is set to come off the wraps in the France capital in July.

“My professional career is a big thing for me because I gain experience,” said Marcial in a mix of Filipino and English after returning from Hangzhou, China, where he nailed one of the Philippines’ two silvers in the Asian Games.

“I really need to prepare for the Olympics because if I’m not going to do anything, if I’m not going to get exposure, I will not learn anything new.”

Marcial last fought professionally in February as he scored a second-round technical knockout win over Argentina’s Ricardo Ruben Villalba to raise his record to 4-0.

Weeks later, the Zamboangueño sustained a right hand injury that forced him to sit out the Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in May.

His fifth professional bout scheduled in August then got scrapped as Marcial turned his focus on the Asian Games, which served as a qualifier for the Paris Olympics.

Despite the layoff, Marcial impressed in the continental tiff, claiming knockout wins over Thailand’s Weerapon Jongjoho and Syria’s Ahmad Ghousoon to reach the men’s 80kg division final and punch his Olympic berth.

The gold medal, though, proved elusive for Marcial as he fell to China’s Tanglatihan Tuohetaerbieke in a contentious unanimous decision loss.

But with a longer window to get ready for the Paris Games, Marcial hopes to settle his unfinished business as he also fell short two years ago in the Tokyo Olympics, where he settled for a bronze medal.

The stinging defeat to Tuohetaerbieke has also lit a fire under Marcial.

“I’ll use this as motivation to go harder in training,” said Marcial, who is under MP Promotions. “I have a lot of time to develop my skill, get stronger, and increase my experience.”

“Whatever my weaknesses are, those are the things we’ll work on.”

The first Filipino boxer to qualify for Paris, Marcial will be joined by pole vaulter EJ Obiena and gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan. – Rappler.com