FOR Zamboanga City pride Eumir Felix Marcial, a second professional fight does not rank high in his priorities for now.
Tops on the list, the 25-year-old Marcial said, is the Tokyo Olympics where he fights in the men’s middleweight class.
“We are not prioritizing any fight in the pros and that’s even a recommendation of Sir Sean [Gibbons],” Marcial told BusinessMirror on Friday morning. “As of now, the preparation for the Tokyo Olympics is really our priority, our focus.”
“Sir Sean told me pro fights can wait for now and after the Olympics, there’s no problem,” he added.
Marcial first and only pro fight was against Andrew Whitfield last December 16 in Los Angeles, California. He won by unanimous decision.
MP Promotions President Gibbons said Marcial would be sparring with different foreign boxers in four-month rundown to the Olympic.
“So far, we’re throwing a lot of different bigger amateur guys for Eumir, somebody who can emulate Ukrainians, Russians and Kazakhs—and all of those stances,” Gibbons said. “That’s the idea three times a week of sparring.”
Marcial has been under the watchful eyes of world-renowned trainer Freddie Roach at the Wildcard Gym in Los Angeles since October.
Marcial has been sparring with unbeaten Diego Pacheco, who stands a tall 6-foot-4 over the 5-foot-8 Filipino, along with Gabe Rosado, Russian Artur Akavov and Eric Priest.
“We will try to look at different things come April we’ll step up on the training level depending on his progress,” Gibbons said.
Gibbons said Marcial’s next professional fight would only happen after “he wins the Olympic gold medal.”
Gibbons also confirmed Marcial will join the national team in a tournament in India but dismissed his ward catching up with the training camp in Thailand because of travel restrictions.
Gibbons said they are in close coordination with the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines on Marcial’s progress.
The Olympics are set from July 23 to August 8.