Marcial draws extra motivation from Pacquiao birthday

MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons and Filipino boxer Eumir Marcial. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — As if making his professional debut isn’t enough motivation, Eumir Marcial has another reason to put on an impressive showing in his middleweight fight against Andrew Whitfield.

Marcial takes on Whitfield  (3-1, 2 KOs) in a four-rounder on Thursday (Manila time) at Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles.

The bout, part of a Premier Boxing Champions card, takes place on the same day his promoter and boxing legend Manny Pacquiao celebrates his 42nd birthday.

“It’s added motivation for me that my fight will happen on senator Manny’s birthday in the Philippines. Winning the fight will be a good gift for the senator while I’m here in the US,” Marcial said in Filipino.

Marcial signed a six-year deal with MP Promotions last July.

The 25-year-old Marcial has been training with Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach in the US since October.
Marcial’s trip to the US is also part of the Zamboanga native’s buildup for next year’s Tokyo Olympics.

“Everything that we’re doing is preparation for the Olympics. Even though it’s a professional fight, everyone with me like coach Freddie, coach Marvin (Somodio), coach Justin (Fortune), sir Sean (Gibbons) are all thinking about the Olympics,” he said.

Marcial hit the scales at 162.4 pounds while Whitfield came in at 165.8 pounds during Wednesday’s official weigh-in.

“The real key is to focus on the Olympics but to get an experience to have a couple of four rounders, six rounders under his belt because all of the guys he is going to compete against (in the Olympics) are fighting in tournaments or turning pro,” Gibbons, president of MP Promotions, said.