Marcial catches Haymon’s attention–gibbons
EUMIR FELIX MARCIAL’S secondround technical knockout victory over veteran Argentinian Ricardo Ruben Villalba last Sunday at the Alamodome in Texas was so impressive he made heads turn toward him—including that of renowned boxing manager and promoter Al Haymon.
“Al Haymon was really thrilled by what he saw last and that’s what he expects from Eumir for a very long time,” International matchmaker and MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons told Businessmirror on Tuesday. “And now with Eumir progressing as a professional fighter, he will be given a good fight.”
Haymon is a reclusive but influential boxing figure who has handled the careers of world champions, including Floyd Mayweather Jr., Luis Ortiz, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Amir Khan, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and even eighth-division champion former Senator Manny Pacquiao.
He has had more than 70 top boxers in his stable and was named Boxing Writers of America Manager of the Year Award five times.
Marcial, 27, was so dominant in his fourth professional fight that he floored Villalba in the first round and forced the referee to stop their eight-round middleweight duel in the second round.
Villabla, 33, climb the ring opposite the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist with a 28-fight experience is now tainted by an eighth loss on 20 wins and one draw.
Gibbons couldn’t still say who the Southeast Asian Games four-time gold medalist would face next but assured it could be a 10-rounder for a regional title in either May or June this year.
“That could depend on Jorge Capetillo’s recommendation,” Gibbons said.
Capetillo has been Marcial’s trainer in all his fights.
Gibbons said what Marcial displayed at Alomodome was the result of hard work and ring IQ from his team.
“That’s the result of Marcial concentrating full time on professional,” Gibbons said. “We’re happy to see those crisp punches, the timing, the speed and the power.”
Marcial, who has been in the US since October last year, plans to return home with his wife Princess for a 15-day vacation.
His camp declared that he could be skipping the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia in May, but would be available for this September’s Huangzhou 19th Asian Games, a qualifier for the Paris 2024 Olympics.