CHINA CRISIS: Marcial’s Asian Games tormentor gets No. 1 seed

DRESDEN, Germany — Filipino light-heavyweight Eumir Marcial is the seventh seed in the 80-kilogram class of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Getting the top billing is China’s Touhetaerbieke Tanglahatian, who defeated Marcial in the gold medal match of the Hangzhou Asian Games last year.

Ciba Arlen Lopez, considered as the main man of the star-studded category is the No. 2 seed while another puncher who holds a win over Marcial — Ukraine’s Oleksandr Khyzhniak — is the No. 3 seed.

Egypt’s Abdelrahman Oralby, a seasoned 36-year-old from Cairo and the 2019 African champion is No. 4 while Australian aborigine Callum Peters, a fast-rising 23-year-old from Adelaide, is No. 5.

At No. 6 is Wanderley De Souza Perreira of Brazil, the 2023 world championships silver medalist and 2022 South American Games titleholder.

After Marcial, taking the No. 8 seed is Gabrijel Veocic of Croatia.

Although they didn’t make the cast of the seeds, not to be counted are Italy’s Salvatore Cavallaro, the 2021 world championships bronze medalist and three-time European games bronze medalist at middleweight.

There is also Kazakhstan’s Nurbek Oralbay, the 2023 world champion at light-heavyweight who is just 24 years old.

Also not to be overlooked are Thailand’s Weerapon Jongjoho, the 2021 world championships third-placer and 2023 Southeast Asian Games champion at light-heavyweight and Jordan’s Hussein Iashaish, the 2022 Asian championships gold medalist as well as bets from Turkey, Uzbekistan, Hungary, Dominican Republic and Haiti, who secured the Universality slot.

Marcial should be on his way to Saarbrucken in Germany any time to reunite with all the four medal hopefuls for a three-week training camp.

“He’s flying out of the States as soon as his documents are ready,” American dealmaker Sean Gibbons, who promotes and handles Marcial’s career, told DAILY TRIBUNE.

Having trained mostly in Las Vegas, Marcial, bronze medalist at middleweight in Tokyo, also has five professional fights.

The boxing competitions will run from 27 July until 10 August with Marcial also joined in the gold medal quest by Tokyo silver medalists Carlo Palaam and Nesthy Petecio and qualifiers Aira Villegas and Hergie Bacyadan.