Marcial expects big test in Asiad

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine boxing coach Elias Recaido said yesterday SEA Games middleweight gold medalist Eumir Marcial has the potential to qualify for the Olympics but his big test will be to overcome the heavy favorites from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan at the Asian Games in Jakarta next year. Marcial, 21, has risen from the 52-kilogram ranks where he won the gold medal at the 2011 World Junior Championships to the 75-kilogram division where he hit paydirt at the SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur last week. In 2015, he won the gold in the 69-kilogram class at the SEA Games in Singapore.

Marcial qualified for the ongoing World Championships in Hamburg but gave up his ticket for the chance to win another SEA Games gold. The schedules of the Hamburg and K. L. competitions were in conflict. Recaido said Marcial was a “sure ball” in K. L. so ABAP decided to send only lightflyweight Rogen Ladon and flyweight Daniel Maamo to Hamburg. The sacrifice was worth it for Marcial who is guaranteed a handsome bonus and a P40,000 monthly salary from the PSC for striking gold in K. L.

“Bagay kay Eumir na lumaban sa 75 kasi matangkad (5-9) at malaki ang katawan,” said Recaido. “Pwede siyang lumaban sa Olympics, may big chance.” The obstacles, however, are difficult. Kazakhstan’s Zhanobek Alimkanuly won the middleweight gold at the 2014 Asian Games while Uzbekistan’s Bektemir Melikuziev bagged the middleweight silver at the Rio Olympics last year. Kazakh and Uzbek fighters usually dominate the middleweight division at the Asian Games.

Marcial was one of only two Filipinos who beat Thais in K.L. Marcial outpointed Pathomsak Kuttiya for the SEA Games gold while Fil-Brit John Marvin decisioned Anavat Thongkrathok, 2-1, in the semifinals on the way to halting Malaysia’s Adli Pauzi in 21 seconds of the first round for the lightheavyweight gold. Three Filipinos fell victim to Thais – Ian Clark Bautista dropped a 2-1 verdict to Tanes Ongjunta in the flyweight semifinals, Mario Fernandez lost to two-time Olympian Chatchai Butdee in the bantamweight finals and Charly Suarez bowed to Wittichai Masuk in the lightwelterweight semifinals.

Overall, the Philippine boxing team in K. L. brought home two gold, one silver and two bronze medals from K. L. Of the six-man squad, only lightflyweight Carlo Paalam failed to bag a medal. The Philippines’ win-loss record was 11-4. At the 2015 SEA Games, the Philippines collected five golds, three silvers and two bronzes as each member of the 10-strong squad pocketed a medal.  But in Singapore, there were 11 boxing events and in K. L., there were only six as organizers eliminated the entire women’s program and struck out the lightweight and welterweight divisions in the men’s program.