BY NICK GIONGCO
The desire of Filipino middleweight Eumir Felix Marcial to turn professional has the full backing of national boxing team coach Nolito ‘Boy’ Velasco.
But Velasco insists that should Marcial sign a contract it must include a clause that will allow him to compete in the Tokyo Olympics next year.
“Okay lang mag-pro sya basta payagan din sya ng manager na maglaro sa Olympics,” said Velasco, one of the most senior members of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) think tank.
Velasco said the provision in the contract should also give Marcial the chance to fight a tune-up before he plunges into action in the rescheduled Tokyo Games.
“Kailangan may tuneup fight din,” said Velasco, who joins Pat Gaspi, Ronald Chavez and brother Roel in the coaching squad.
Marcial is being lured into signing a managerial contract by Hall of Famer Shelly Finkel of New York, who once served as the chief handler of Manny Pacquiao in the mid-2000s.
Streaming service DAZN, owned and operated by Eddie Hearn of England, and another New York guy, Keith Connolly, are also reportedly courting the 24-year-old Marcial.
MP Promotions of Manny Pacquiao has also expressed its desire to sign up Marcial, whose stock grew after the Zamboanga puncher topped the Asia-Oceania Olympic Qualifying Tournament held in Amman, Jordan, early last month.
The ABAP leadership has appealed to interested parties involved to allow Marcial to focus on his Olympic dreams before making their move.
ABAP Ricky Vargas will immediately meet with Marcial when the Luzon lockdown is lifted.