EUMIR FELIX MARCIAL didn’t get that chance to showcase his preparedness level for the Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday at the Asian Boxing Confederation Asian Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships at the Le Meridien Hotel bubble in Dubai.
His quarterfinal round opponent in the men’s middleweight class, Mongolia’s Otgonbaatar Byamba-Erdene, was a no-show because of a shoulder injury.
Thus, it will take two more days—on Friday—for the 25-year-old Marcial to display what he has learned from his six-month professional training under world renowned Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.
Marcial, the top seed in his weight class, faces Uzbekistan’s Jafarov Saidjamshid in the semifinals. The Uzbek advanced following a 5-0 rout of Kyrgystan’s Omurbek Bekzhigit Uulu in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.
One of nine Filipinos who has so far qualified for the Olympics, Marcial shunned a long interview.
“Thank you for your understanding [no long interviews],” he told BusinessMirror via messenger. “I have to keep my focus. I really want to prove that I can win the gold.”
Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines President Ricky Vargas liked Marcial’s gesture.
“Winning every tournament is really important and that’s really good because you’re learning,” Vargas said. “It’s a good attitude that you will always do your best in every tournament.”
“So if that’s what Marcial is trying to prove, then it’s very good,” Vargas said. “But Dubai is just part of the training for the Olympics.”
Also qualified for the Olympics are Carlo Paalam, Nesthy Petecio and Irish Magno. They skipped the Dubai tournament opting to continue their training camp in Thailand.
Lightweight Jere Samuel Dela Cruz, meanwhile, suffered a stinging 0-5 loss to a taller and much durable Varinder Singh of India in their quarterfinal duel also on Wednesday, joining flyweight Marvin Tabamo, light welterweight John Paul Panuayan and women’s lightweight Maricel dela Torre to the exit.
Josie Gabuco defended her women’s light flyweight gold medal against Gulasal Sultonalieva of Uzbekistan in the semifinals late Thursday, while light flyweight Mark Lester Durens and bantamweight Junmilardo Ogayre seek spots in the finals on Friday.
Durens faces Kazakhstan’s Daniel Sabit while Ogayre meets Uzbekistan’s Mirazizbek Mirzahalillov.