EUMIR'S UPPERCUT, A THAI'S NIGHTMARE

AS he promised and predicted before his tune-up fight against untested undefeated Thoesdak Sinam that the fight will not last the distance and the 28 years old butcher from Zamboanga Eumir Marcial made good his earlier promise knocking out his Thai foe dead flat on his back in the fourth round that showed his readiness in the Paris Olympics in his determined quest to win the coveted gold slipped from his hands in Tokyo where his efforts is good only for bronze.

Driven by his desire and strong determination to win and bolster his morale and keep the flame ablaze of his fighting spirit in France capital, Marcial caught and flattened Sinam with a wicked left uppercut in the fateful fourth round watched by jubilant hometown crowd chanted “Marcial, Marcial, Marcial” after he inflicted the Thai his first defeat in 24 fights, most of his victories recorded in his home country.

The end came in one minute and 33 seconds in the fourth round watched by Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino, Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Richard Bachmann, Senator and kickboxing president Francis Tolentino, Games and Amusement Board Chairman Richard Clarin, Mexican World Boxing Council president Mauricio Sulaiman and Marcial team manager Sean Gibbons.

Filipino referee Danrex Tapdasan did not bother to count as the Thai boxer laid flat on his back unconscious for several minutes and the ring physician tried to revive the consciousness of the pitiful Thai boxer from Pathum Thani who faced Marcial outside his country.

“I promised to myself I gonna end this fight in short route. I’m glad I did it,” said Marcial after his quick ending fourth round knockout victory that snapped the Thai string of 23 straight victories and inflicted him his worst defeat at the hands of the southpaw Pinoy boxer.

Thai flattened by an uppercut from Marcial of the Philippines.

Photo by Wendell Alinea

“My desire, aspiration and determination driven me to win the fight in my first appearance since the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

Fighting under the banner of Manny Pacquiao Promotion, Marcial tested the water sizing up and studied the fighting style of orthodox Thai fighter the first two rounds, then unleashed his deadly assault and ended the fight via short route.

POC Abraham Tolentino said the sensational fourth round stoppage of the Thai boxer showed his readiness and determination to win the gold in Paris where the Philippines marks the 100 years participation in the Olympic since 1924 in France capital and sprinter David Nepomuceno became the first Filipino to compete in the 100m and 200m.

“Marcial quick fourth round victory evidently showed his readiness to face his rivals in Paris,” said Tolentino also the president of Integrated Cycling Association of the Philippine and ranking official of National Chess Federation of the Philippines.

Marcial put up boxing camp in Tagaytay with the help of Tolentino in his preparation for the Paris Summer Games.

Marcial won the gold four times Southeast Asian Games in Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam. He could have win the gold if he see action in Cambodia where the Filipino ringster is overwhelming favorite.

Marcial did not compete in Cambodia and prepared for the Asian Games in China where he won the silver and earned a trip ticket to Paris.

Marcial also win silver in AIBA World Boxing Championship in Mongolia and triumphed in the Asian Boxing and Asia-Oceania winner in New Zealand. Marcial trained at the Wild Card Gym owned by famed trainer Freddie Roach. The Boston-born Roach, himself a former boxer, trained eight different divisions champion Manny Pacquiao. He also trained in Las Vegas, Nevada and Colorado Spring. If Marcial succeeds win the coveted gold in Paris, not only becomes part of history, he will duplicate the golden performance of his fellow Zamboangueno Hidilyn Diaz in Tokyo.

Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas joined Marcial to Paris after they qualified in Busto Arsizio, Italy, and the three boxers joined early qualifiers Ernest John Obiena, Carlos Yulo, and Filipino-American gymnast Aleah Finnegan.

Marcial trained in Las Vegas under Jorge Capetillo and trained in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Colorado Spring.

Marcial won all his five professional fights in the United States against Andrew Whitfield, Isiah Hart, Steven Pichardo and Ruben Ricardo Villalba of Argentina before competing in the Asian Games in China.

Photo courtesy by Wendell Alinea