Eumir Marcial’s dream fighting in Manny Pacquiao’s main card now a reality

EUMIR FELIX MARCIAL — one of the country’s top boxing talents — will be returning to the ring alongside with the living legend Manny Pacquiao on July 19 as one of the undercards at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

International matchmaker and Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons announced that the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist would be fighting in an eight-round middleweight non-title bout against American Alexis Gaytan next month same date and place.

“Ever since I started boxing, the reason I started I was so inspired by Manny Pacquiao as a kid when I watched him fighting on TV,” Marcial said. “It was my dream to always fight along and eventually and to be on a card with Manny Pacquiao.”

He arrived in Los Angeles, California with the other Filipino former world champions Jerwin Ancajas, Mark Magsayo and Jonas Sultan on Tuesday to join Pacquiao in training camp for his main event bout against World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion Mario Barrios of Mexico.

“My dream has come true. I represented the Philippines in the Olympics with pride, won the bronze, but my real dream was to fight alongside with the hall of famer and eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao. And on July 19, my dream is coming to become a reality,” Marcial added.

Marcial is sporting an unbeaten 5-0 win-loss slate — where his last bout was in Manila on March 2023 when he knocked out Thailand’s Thoedsak Sinam in the fourth round in front of the Filipino crown at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Pacquiao, 46, who now train alongside Marcial at the park and Wild Card gym in Los Angeles, said he would do everything what it takes to help all Filipino boxers to unleash their full potential to turn their dreams to reality becoming a world champion.

“When I started my promotional company Manny Pacquiao Promotions, I looked up to help my fellow Filipino boxers as I didn’t have that early platform. So, I am very happy to help Eumir Marcial fight under my banner MP promotions,” Pacquiao said.

“Happy as well to help Eumir and the rest of other Filipino boxers under my banner MP Promotions.”

Marcial’s sixth professional fight against the 30-year-old Gaytan, who is holding a 17-10 record with six knockouts, is absolutely a challenging fight for the Zamboanga City warrior due to his 16 months absence in pro fights because of his one-year preparation and competition in last year’s Paris Olympics.