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As Eumir Marcial cranks up his drive toward an Olympic gold, the road heading to a world title appears.
Marcial will make his pro debut in October in Los Angeles, activating a grand plan by MP (Manny Pacquiao) Promotions to make him the first Filipino champion in the quadrennial games and then middleweight king of the world.
Both tasks are daunting but if Marcial can combine the strong points of Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin – the feared 160 pounders –accomplishing them is highly probable.
Appearing in the Philippines Sportswriters Association Online Forum with MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons on Tuesday, July 21, Marcial said he likes Alvarez’s speed and defense and raves at Golovkin’s punching power.
“If his punch connects, the opponent will land somewhere,” Marcial said in Filipino.
Marcial knows that to transform into the prototype middleweight, “with the strength and tactics,” will take a long time.
Thankfully, he has the full support of MP Promotions and the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines.
According to Gibbons, who is in Las Vegas, Nevada, Marcial will be given two more six-rounders before the Tokyo Olympics – reset next year due to the coronavirus pandemic – happens.
As requested by Marcial, national coach Ronald Chavez and Australian boxing consultant Don Abnett will be taking charge of his training and preparations in Los Angeles, where Gibbons hopes to set him up for some sessions with Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach.
Gibbons said having Marcial on board and guiding him on his Olympic journey is a thrill.
“I have no concerns [on how Marcial will fare],” said Gibbons, noting that Marcial has the strength, the heart, the power, and chin to succeed even against the East Europeans and the Americans.
“People love a puncher and he’s been knocking out people in the amateur,” said Gibbons.
Gibbons added that in two years, Golovkin is likely to have retired while Alvarez would have moved up, so Marcial will be facing a whole new class not alien to him as he has fought against some of them in the 2019 World Championships, where he bagged a silver medal, and other tournaments in Europe.
While happy and giddy with the attention he has been getting after signing up with MP Promotions on July 16, Marcial said he is taking it “step by step” to the Olympics.
“I have a lot to go through,” said Marcial. “My rivals from Russia, Ukraine, and Cuba will also turn pro soon.” – Rappler.com
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