SPORTS

Marcial faces crucial 2023

Nick Giongco

The full potential of Eumir Marcial is finally going to show when the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist fights for the fourth time as a professional in January or February of 2023.

Unlike in his first three bouts, Marcial has been afforded the luxury of focusing on just training.

"This is a full (training) camp that he's having (in Las Vegas)," Sean Gibbons, whose MP Promotions handles the affairs of the iron-fisted Zamboanga southpaw.

The last several weeks, Marcial has been religiously showing up for training at Jorge Capetillo's sweat shop, according to Gibbons.

While most Olympic medalists make a lot of heads turn when they begin fighting in the pros, Marcial, also the 2019 world championship silver medalist, hasn't been that impressive.

When he entered the punch-for-pay ranks in December 2020 in Los Angeles, Marcial had to go four full rounds with Andrew Whitfield.

In his second fight last April, Marcial, a 2009 World Junior champion and four-time Southeast Asian Games titleholder, had to get up from three knockdowns to finally stop Isiah Hart in Las Vegas.

Just last month, Marcial was back in the ring but he again went the full six rounds before earning a decision over Steven Pichardo.

But Gibbons believes a transformation is about to take place.

"He realized after watching Vasyl Lomachenko(live) that he has to move," Gibbons said.

Likewise, Marcial is getting the services of renowned strength and conditioning coach Memo Heredia.

The coming year is going to be crucial for the bemedalled Filipino puncher as he and Gibbons rev up for a major push in 2024.