LAS VEGAS — Heavy-handed Filipino southpaw Eumir Marcial needed three rounds to demolish Bernard Joseph on Saturday in their eight-round middleweight encounter in the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Mario Barrios world welterweight crown at the MGM Grand.

The Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist stepped up the attack in the second round where he scored a knockdown after unleashing a two-fisted attack, the sound of his punches reverberating across the still-empty arena.

The end came when Marcial floored Joseph with a left to the head and the American crashed to the floor and was deemed unfit to continue even though he was able to beat the count but on unsteady legs.

“I was just pacing myself in the second round when I scored a knockdown with a hook,” said Marcial of the fight that came to a screeching halt at the 1:55 mark.

After finding his range and getting into the rhythm, Marcial began whaling away at Joseph, who

“It was right there and then I knew that I had the fight in the bag. I landed a body shot and then a left straight. I knew he wouldn’t get up because he was cross-eyed,” he added.

The victory boosted Marcial’s win-loss-draw record to 6-0-0 with four knockouts while the defeat dropped Joseph’s ledger to 11-3-1 with five wins inside the distance.

This latest win was Marcial’s first professional outing since March last year in Manila where he bludgeoned Thailand’s Thoedsak Sinam in four rounds as part of his buildup for the Paris Olympics where he got ousted in his first fight.

Up next for Marcial, who is represented by Sean Gibbons’ Knucklehead Boxing and promoted by MP Promotions, is a slot in the Thrilla in Manila show in October in the Philippines.

If Marcial keeps on blowing past his foes, he will be lined up for a world title shot next year with no less than Pacquiao training him and calling the shots in the corner.

With an influential team behind him, it’s a matter of time before he finally gets his wish — to win a world title — after his Olympic heartbreak.