OLYMPIC-BOUND boxer Eumir Felix Marcial is thrilled and looking to his first professional fight in the country against Thai bruiser Thoedsak Sinam on March 23 in front of an anticipated packed hometown crowd at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
“I am looking forward to this homecoming fight because the last time I fought in the country was during the 2019 Southeast Asian Games,” Marcial said in a statement issued Tuesday night, referring to his last amateur fight when he captured the SEA Games middleweight gold at the PICC in Pasay City.
“I intend to put on a great show for those who will watch and see me live. I believe that I will be more than ready by the time I get to Paris in July,” added the pride of Zamboanga City, who has been training in the US since January.
“I will be leaving the US on March 11 and will set up camp in Tagaytay courtesy of (Philippine Olympic Committee president) Tagaytay Mayor Bambol Tolentino, who is very supportive of Filipino athletes, especially those who are going to the Olympics,” Marcial added.
While it will be his fifth pro fight, Marcial, who has a record of four wins, two by knockout, added that “though I am fighting in March, my focus and concentration is on the Paris Olympics.
“The competition there is very tough since Cuban super champion Arlan Lopez is there as well as the Chinese (Tuohetaerbieke Tanglatihan) who beat me in Hangzhou. The Ukrainian who beat me in the semis in the Tokyo Olympics — Oleksandr Khyzniak — is also there so it is a star-studded cast.”
Marcial revealed that “(American) Kay Koroma (a former member of the US Olympic boxing team) is presiding over my training. But (former amateur standout) Mario Fernandez is assisting me daily.”
He said that Fernandez, a two-time SEA Games bantamweight gold medalist, was sent by to the US by the Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines so that he would not lose any of his skills as an amateur while honing for his pro fight in the Philippines.
Also helping in maintaining his well-being is wife and manager Princess Galarpe, a former member of the national women’s squad.
The Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist refused to look past Sinam, who packs a wallop, having recorded 23 wins, 19 by knockouts, against 13 losses.