Two months to the day he began training with the famous Freddie Roach, Olympic Games-bound Eumir Felix Marcial will make his pro debut.
Marcial, another pride of Zamboanga City, hopes to hurdle his first test when he tackles the power-punching Andrew Whitfield (3-1, 2 KOs), from Lewiston, Idaho, in a four-round middleweight bout.
The fight, part of a Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) event, will take place on Dec. 16 (Dec. 17, Manila time) and will be televised live from LA Live’s Microsoft Theater on FS1.
Marcial, who is under PBC and Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao’s MP Promotions, is following in Pacman’s footsteps by training with Roach at his Hollywood-based Wild Card Boxing Club.
Wild Card is where the boxer idol and eight-division world champion Pacquiao trained for his greatest in-ring performances.
In as much as professional fighters are now allowed to compete in the Olympics, Wild Card is serving as a “one-stop shop” for Marcial’s preparations for professional and Olympic glory.
“Turning professional is an important step in my journey to the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo. A lot of the fighters I may face in the Olympics have already turned pro so my professional training with Freddie will keep me at their level of experience when we battle in the Olympics,” Marcial said.
“But my ultimate goal has always been to make my Dad’s dream a reality, a dream he has had since my first amateur fight, to win an Olympic gold medal. That is the prize I have in my eyes. I want to be the first to bring Olympic gold back to Philippines,” he added.
“When I enter the ring for my pro debut I will not be alone. I am grateful for the support from a lot of people, including MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons and Senator Manny Pacquiao for having their faith in my ability and signing me, and allowing me to follow in the footsteps of Manny, an idol of mine for as long as I can remember. Like Manny, I have been blessed to travel to Hollywood and train under the guidance of a great teacher in Freddie Roach. I know what Manny and Freddie have accomplished together. I think of that every day and wake up inspired to do better than the day before. It is hard work but is has been good work.”
