OLYMPIC bronze medalist Eumir Felix Marcial climbs the ring Sunday for his fourth professional fight against veteran opponent from Argentina and this time in an eight-round middleweight bout.
Confronting the 27-year-old Marcial, who wants to extend his pro record to 4-0 won-lost, is Ricardo Ruben Villalba, who at 33 is a veteran of 28 pro fights with a 20-7-1 win-loss-draw record with eight knockouts.
Their fight is one of the undercards of the Rey Vargas-O’ Shaquie Foster main event for the vacant World Boxing Council super featherweight belt at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Marcial, who has trained vigorously under Jorge Capetillo, told BusinessMirror on Friday that he is ready to face the veteran Argentinian slugger.
“I’m in good condition and ready for the fight. I’m excited to fight for my country again,” Marcial said. “I’ve been working since October, doing everything to condition myself and learn boxing.”
Marcial won his four-rounder pro against Andrew Whitfield in 2020, survived three knockdowns in beating another American, Isiah Hart, in April 2022 and Steve Pichardo via unanimous in October last year.
The renowned Mexican trainer Capetillo said Villalba will provide Marcial an opportunity to learn more about the ropes of professional boxing that could transform him into a tactical fighter and not only a solid puncher.
“We want somebody who can test him, and we really know that Eumir is a heavy hitter but I really want him to be a boxer, not just a puncher” Capetillo said. “I want him to be a boxer who can use the distance and have great timing, who can counter and not only attack.”
Outside of the two boxers’ records, they are practically matched in physique with both standing at 5-foot-9, durable and love to brawl.