Eumir Marcial assured of Asian Games bronze with KO win over Thai

Eumir Marcial wins by knockout to secure at least a bronze medal at the Asian Games.–ASIAN. GAMES POOL

HANGZHOU, China—Eumir Marcial is on a major mission to earn a return trip to next year’s Paris Olympics.

Marcial moved closer to realizing that goal after knocking out Southeast Asian Games champion Weerapon Jongjoho on Sunday night in the 19th Asian Games.

The Filipino Olympic bronze medalist bludgeoned Jongjoho with a booming right after a brief exchange on the corner that decked the Thai 14 seconds remaining in the second round.

Dazed from the heavy blow, the 22-year-old Jongjoho was waived off by the referee, sending Marcial to the semifinals opposite Syria’s Ahmad Ghousoon at the Hangzhou Gymnasium on Wednesday.

Eumir Marcial throws a punch against his Thai foe in their light heavyweight boxing quarterfinal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China–ASIAN. GAMES POOL

Although Marcial, forced to go up to a heavier division after the 75kg where he got a bronze in the Tokyo Olympics got scrapped, is already assured of a bronze medal, the 27-year-old from Zamboanga City wants nothing less than a finals appearance.

“I had a difficult time because he’s tall. When I saw the clock with a minute left, I gave everything I’ve got and the result that I wanted came out,” said a euphoric Marcial in Filipino.

Only the finalists in the 80kg class in the Asiad can land spots in the Olympics.

Marcial will get his hands full against crowd favorite Ghousoon, who pummeled Tajikistan’s Shabbos Negmatulloev with power shots to the head and body to prevail, 5-0, in their quarterfinal bout.