Gibbons sees Marcial contending for world title in 2 to 3 years after Tokyo

There is no stopping Eumir Marcial (left) from turning pro and chasing a nation’s Olympic dream. The country’s top amateur boxer
feels both plans are beneficial to each other. INQUIRER PHOTO/ Sherwin Vardeleon

MANILA, Philippines — Sean Gibbons knows a champion fighter when he sees one and the MP promotions president believes he landed another with that caliber in Eumir Marcial.

Gibbons, the international matchmaker and manager, has no doubt that Marcial is fully equipped with the tools to become a future world champion within a three-year window at the most.

“[He is] the biggest one I’ve ever worked with as a prospect in my 35 years in boxing. Eumir is a special guy,” Gibbons marveled during Tuesday’s PSA Forum.

“First of all, what makes Eumir special, is two things that you don’t learn. You’re either born with it, you have it or you don’t. He’s a puncher and he’s got heart and he’s got a good chin and the determination and the will to win.”

Marcial, who recently signed a six-year deal with Manny Pacquiao’s promotion company, is still far away from making his professional debut but his stellar amateur career has already convinced Gibbons of what’s to come.

“After the Olympics, I see him somewhere in the second to the third year that he will be ready to challenge for a title.”

Apart from his three gold medals in the Southeast Asian Games, the 24-year-old Marcial also bagged the silver medal in the 2019 Aiba World Boxing Championships. He is also the first Filipino to win the gold in the Aiba World Junior Boxing Championships back in 2011.

All that plus the quality of opponents he’s beaten along the way.

“You don’t see guys ever at this weight in the Philippines. it’s historic already with what he’s been able to accomplish at 165 pounds in the amateurs. It’s just unheard of. It hasn’t happened,” Gibbons said.

“So with what he’s already accomplished, beating the guys from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and all those countries, that’s something that really showed me he has a chance to compete with any of the guys,” he added.

Marcial, though, doesn’t want to look too far ahead with winning the gold in next year’s Tokyo Olympics in his mind.

“For me right now, I just want to take it step by step. Right now, I’m just new as a pro and I still have a long way to go. It’s the Olympics first then, my professional career.”