MARCIAL EYES ABAP STINT
Tokyo Olympic qualifier Eumir Marcial is not burning bridges with the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) as his much-awaited professional debut looms on the horizon.
Even as he makes the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood as his homebase, Marcial guaranteed his intention to join a Philippine team that the ABAP will send overseas next year as a buildup for the Tokyo Olympics from 23 July to 9 August.
Marcial made this vow during the online Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum yesterday, assuring everyone that his main focus is winning the Olympic gold next year.
“I am doing this for my country, for my family,” Marcial said during the virtual session in the company of MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons.
Marcial has been training under Hall of Famer Freddie Roach and assistant Marvin Somodio for almost two months now.
Gibbons said there are two fight dates remaining this month and Marcial could be in one of them.
I am doing this for my country, for my family.
“We’ll try to squeeze in a fight for him this month,” Gibbons said, stressing that while the heavy-handed southpaw is zeroing on his first pro fight, “the goal is to win in Tokyo.”
“”I am more concerned about 2021 in Tokyo. It (pro fight) is a part of the process for the Olympics,” said Gibbons, whose talent-laden promotional outfit also has all the country’s reigning world champions in Manny Pacquiao, Jerwin Ancajas, John Riel Casimero and Pedro Taduran.
Since Marcial remains committed to ABAP, Gibbons said MP Promotions won’t hold him back if the ABAP taps him on a tour of duty in early 2021.
After almost two months learning from Roach, Marcial admitted that he has absorbed a lot of things he never had the chance to pick up before.
“It’s hard to land a punch on them,” Marcial said, referring to certain sparring partners at the Wild Card.
He also swears that Roach has reminded him to be calm and composed all the time.
“I learned how to relax and time my punches.”
For Marcial, deciding to hook up with Roach has turned out to be a major move.