Filipino boxer Eumir Marcial during the 2023 Asian Games send off ceremony. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines continues to be a country to look out for in the boxing events of the 2022 Asian Games.
Leading the Filipino boxers’ charge in the continental meet is Eumir Marcial, who is eyeing more than just a media but also a ticket for the Paris Olympics next year.
“This Asian Games is also an Olympic qualifier for us. Now, I’m not just thinking ‘this is the Asian Games,’ I’m thinking that we need to reach the Finals so we can qualify for Paris,” said Marcial during the sendoff ceremonies on Monday.
“My goal is not just to win a medal or get the gold but to also qualify for the Olympics because our main target is to get gold in the Olympics.”
However, Marcial will have to go out of his comfort zone in the games in Hangzhou, China.
Competing primarily in the middleweight division, the Zamboanga-born fighter is going up to light heavyweight since the Olympics took out the qualifiers for the middleweight class.
“My weight class was middleweight when I fought in the Olympics. Now, I’m moving up to light heavyweight because the other division was taken out in the Olympic qualifiers so I don’t have my [usual] weight class.”
“It was either 71kg or 80kg and I’m at 75. If I go down to 71, the difference would be too big and I wouldn’t know how I’d perform.”
Unlike fellow Filipino boxer Nesthy Petecio, Marcial was unable to participate in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games due to a hand injury.
Professionally though, the Tokyo Olympian is not falling short of remarkable with a 4-0 record.
His last match was against Ricardo Villalba in February this year, dropping his Argentinian foe via technical knockout in the second round at Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.