BY KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Boxer Eumir Marcial will be devoting much of his time and effort in giving the country its first Olympic gold medal at next year’s Tokyo Games despite signing in the pro league under Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions.
Marcial, 24, said Olympics remains his top priority at the moment because it has been his life-long dream to make it to the amateur’s grandest stage.
“Mahirap mag-gold, pero hindi imposible,” the Zamboanga native said in Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum held online.
“Ilang taon ko ring hinintay at pinagsikapan para maka-qualify sa Olympics at ngayong andito na ako, ibibigay ko na ang lahat.”
Marcial first tried his luck to earn an Olympic berth in the 2016 London edition but failed.
He pushed himself further after that failed attempt, and succeeded in gaining the needed zest and power on the way to becoming one of the most decorated fighters of his era.
Among his achievements before turning pro was winning a gold medal in last year’s SEA Games and a runner-up finish at the 2019 AIBA World Boxing Championships in Russia.
Though juggling amateur and pro styles during training at the moment, Marcial believes there is no easy task of making his dreams come true.
He spoke of his huge admiration and respect for Pacquiao, whose career also started from bottom.
“As a boxer, always po akong handa. Excited na din ako makalaban sa pro,” he said.
“Si Sir Manny (Pacquiao), idol ko yan. Sobra akong na-inspire sa kanya kaya gagawin ko lang best ko every fight at lalo ko pang i-improve sarili ko pagpasok ko sa pro.”
The country came close to winning the Olympic gold in boxing last 1996 when Onyok Velasco grabbed the silver in Atlanta.
Also competing in the Tokyo Games is Irish Magno, while other fighters are also seeking berths after qualifiers were rescheduled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
