Marcial scores KO win but withdraws from Asian Games

Eumir Marcial was about to pack his bags to catch the first flight out of Los Angeles for Nagoya when he received a call from Japan.

It was Marcus Manalo, president of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP), on the line.

The conversation didn’t take that long.

But they both agreed on one thing.

The hard-hitting Marcial will be skipping the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya.

“I spoke to Eumir right after winning his professional fight earlier. After carefully considering the situation, Eumir and I agreed that it would be better to skip the Asian Games. It would be very hard for him to immediately transition from a professional fight in the US, into long-distance travel to Nagoya with 16-hour time difference, and then into another high-level boxing competition with such a short recovery period,” Manalo said in a text message.

“Boxing is a physically demanding and inherently risky sport, and adequate time to rest and recover is extremely important, and we do not want to compromise Eumir’s health and safety because of the tight timeline.”

Marcial was hardly unscathed when he flattened Ulises Huerta with just one punch — a counter right hook — that put an end to their scheduled eight-round middleweight clash at the Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, California.

“Eumir himself was very much looking forward to the opportunity to represent the flag once again. This is therefore a difficult decision for everyone involved,” he said.

Marcial is entered in the 80 kilogram class (light-heavyweight) in Nagoya.

“However, representing the Philippines is not only about stepping into the ring. It is also about making responsible decisions that protect our athletes and allow them to have long, healthy careers.”

“We sincerely hope for understanding that this decision was made with Eumir’s best interests in mind. His commitment to Philippine boxing and to representing the country has never been in question.”

Marcial fought Huerta as if a taxi was waiting for him outside the venue that would ferry him to the airport.

He bombarded Huerta with vicious head and body shots, showing that he didn’t want to waste precious time as he was about to embark on another mission.

Nearing the halfway mark of the third round, Huerta landed a right straight on Marcial’s face but the Zamboanga native was quick to respond with the perfect counter that sent his foe collapsing to the floor as if he was made of cardboard.

Referee Thomas Taylor reached the count of ten at 1:44, sending Marcial jumping in to the top rope and thumping his chest like King Kong.

The victory boosted Marcial’s win-loss-draw record to 8-0-0 with five knockouts while the defeat dropped Huerta’s card to 15-2-1 with 13 knockouts.

“I am so thrilled,” Sean Gibbons, Marcial’s promoter, told DAILY TRIBUNE moments after the fight, stressing that Premier Boxing Champions can’t wait to bring him back in the ring.

“My plan for him is right on track,” added Gibbons, who has promised Marcial a world title shot next year.

While Marcial may have missed out on winning a medal, the ABAP insists that the decision to skip was mutual.

“You don’t play boxing,” added Manalo.