KUALA LUMPUR – Fil-Briton John Marvin, sporting a light mark under his left eye, has promised to unload “10,000 pounds of force and energy” when he fights Malaysian hope Adli Hafidz Mohd Pauzi Thursday in the boxing finals of the 29th Southeast Asian Games.
The six-foot-one light heavyweight was in high spirits on the eve of the finals, showing little effect of his brutal bout against Thai veteran Anavat Thongkrathok Tuesday at the MiTEC Hall 8.
In his SEAG debut, Marvin, two heads taller than his opponent, used his jabs early on, but eventually engaged Thongkrathok in a virtual brawl inside the phone booth.
Showing little defensive skills, Marvin took it as well as he gave it, throwing everything, including the lamp post at the durable Thai.
Alliance of Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) executive director Ed Piczon said Marvin has improved a lot from the time he reported to the Baguio camp two months ago.
“But if he wants to take it to the next level, he has to learn to fight smart,” said Piczon.
Two other fighters – bantamweight Mario Fernandez and middleweight Eumir Felix Marcial – clash with separate Thai opponents.
Fernandez has the toughest assignment in Olympian Chatchai Butdee while Marcial battles relatively unknown Pathomsak Kuttiya.
The coaching staff is clueless on Kuttiya, a newcomer.
Thailand has five fighters in the six-bout finals which start at 3 p.m.