The Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) is hoping Eumir Marcial emerges unscathed in his upcoming professional bout to help boost the country’s gold medal drive in the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan.

ABAP president Marcus Manalo said he has reminded the 30-year-old Olympian to avoid unnecessary risks when he faces American Omar Ulises Huerta in a 10-round middleweight showdown on 19 September at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, California.

Marcial is included in the Asian Games squad alongside Olympic medalists Carlo Paalam, Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas, as well as Riza Pasuit, Junmilardo Ogayre and Norlan Petecio.

“So we’re hoping that he’s still going to be fit to box. It’s not an optimal scenario, but we don’t have any replacements,” Manalo said.

“That’s why I told Eumir he is already booked from LA to Nagoya. If he is not fit to box, the medical committee will declare that you cannot continue.”

Marcial was brought back into the national team’s plans after Weljon Mindoro suffered a ninth-round technical knockout loss to Carlos Ocampo more than a week ago in Las Vegas.

The Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist was also the Philippines’ lone boxing medalist in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, where he captured silver in the men’s 80-kilogram division in 2023.

Manalo admitted that the country’s bid to end its long wait for an Asian Games boxing gold medal will be an uphill battle, especially against regional powerhouses Uzbekistan and China.

“If you look at the gold medalists from the Paris Olympics, almost 70 percent of them came from Asia. In the men’s division, Uzbekistan won five gold medals. They practically dominated the Olympics, and they’re also among the strongest teams in the Asian championships and Asian Games,” Manalo said.

“In the women’s division, China was dominant, while Chinese Taipei also produced a gold medalist.”