Marcial to skip AIBA C’ships for SEA Games

Philippines’ Eumir Felix Marcial, right, celebrates winning the fight against Singapore’s Tay Jia Wei. Singapore SEA Games Organizing Committee /

Putting more premium on the 2017 Southeast Asian Games, Eumir Felix Marcial won’t take part in the AIBA World Boxing Championship due to a scheduling conflict, as per ABAP executive director Ed Picson.

The world championship in Hamburg, Germany will be held on Aug. 25, just a day after boxing events in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia wraps up.

And with the 21-year-old Marcial set to compete in the SEA Games, Picson said ABAP decided to give more importance to the biennial meet.

The biggest factor considered was the public perception that the possibility of bagging a gold medal in the SEA Games has a higher significance than winning in the world tilt.

“The general thinking seems to be that the public is more aware and concerned about the Southeast Asian Games rather than the world championships and we had to consider public perception even officials of various organizations are asking us about the SEA Games,” Picson told reporters Tuesday during the PSA Forum at Golden Phoenix Hotel in Pasay City.

Minus Marcial, the weight now falls on the shoulders of light flyweight Rogen Ladon and flyweight Daniel Maamo, who also landed a slot in the world championships, to deliver.