Newest Pacquiao fighter Eumir Marcial seeks world title and Olympic medal

MANILA, Philippines – Eumir Felix Marcial took the first step toward becoming a world professional boxing champion and the Philippines’ first Olympic gold medalist after he signed with Senator Manny Pacquiao’s boxing outfit — MP Promotions — Thursday.

“I just want to tell everyone of my decision that I already signed a promotional deal with Manny Pacquiao Promotions,” the 25-year-old Marcial in Filipino said in a statement.

The contract that Marcial signed will last six years, and in it is a clause that stipulates MP Promotions still allowing the Zamboanga native to compete in the national team as an amateur even if he’s already a pro.

“I chose MP Promotions because of their 100-percent support to my dream of fighting for the Philippines in my future competitions like the SEA, Asian and Olympic Games,” said Marcial.

“In fact, it stated in my deal that they will not prevent me when the time comes that the national team needs me to compete,” he added.

Now that he is signed, it will now be up to MP promotions, whose president is Sean Gibbons, if they could turn Marcial’s dream a reality and transform him to be like their stable of champion boxers like Jerwin Ancajas, Johnriel Casimero and Pedro Taduran.

Marcial also thanked the people who are instrumental in allowing him to become to what he is now, among them Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines president Ricky Vargas and secretary-general Ed Picson and national coaches Romeo Brin, Pat Gaspi, Boy and Roel Velasco, Elmer Pamisa and Ronald Chavez.

ABAP has long stressed it will support Marcial in his future endeavors.

He also thanked his fiancée Princess Galarpe, family and parents Carmelita and Eulalio.

Marcial’s rise to prominence started when he emerged a world juniors champion in Kazakhstan nine years ago. Eight years later, he became a silver medal winner in the World Championships in Russia last year.

Last March, he booked a spot to the Tokyo Olympics, which was reset from this year to the next due to the COVID-19 pandemic, along with gymnast Caloy Yulo, pole-vaulter EJ Obiena and fellow pug Irish Magno.

There, Marcial hopes to end the country’s long search for an elusive Olympic gold.
And there is a strong chance he can become world pro champ too.

“Just what I have promised, I will give it my all to get that Olympic gold medal and become a boxing world champion a few years from now,” he said.