Philippines can rejoice in the guarantee of yet another Tokyo 2020 Olympic medal after superstar middleweight Eumir Marcial viciously disposed of his last-eight opponent to guarantee at least a bronze medal at the Kokugikan Arena on Sunday. In truth, there will be disappointment if the 25-year-old doesn’t deliver more gold – he is now hot favourite to do – after two destructive first round stoppages in his opening bouts. Sunday’s colossal knockout of Armenia’s Arman Darchinyan to secure his passage into the semi-finals became an immediate Tokyo 2020 highlight – a terrific right hook at the end of a four-punch combo bringing matters to a swift conclusion.
For Marcial, the savage knockout was a surprise.
“I didn’t expect I was going to finish the fight in the first round with the right hook,” Marcial said. “I know that he is a tough guy, a good strong boxer. But that’s boxing. “I’m strong because all of the Philippines are supporting me and praying for me to win my fight and god is with me.”
The shot set up a showdown with Ukraine’s Oleksandr Khyzhniak, the reiging World Championships middleweight gold medallist and two-time European Championships gold medallist, on Thursday. But an Olympic medal is now a guarantee – both losing semi-finalists will receive bronze – for the Zamboanga City-native and he says that marks the realisation of a long-held ambition.
“I’m so very happy as it’s like a dream come true,” Marcial said. “When I was young and started boxing we just talked about this with my father while we are going to training and now I am here and I’m an Olympic medallist now. “But I want the gold so I will do my best to give my best performance and leave the rest to god. “We came from a poor family. My father trained a lot of boxers to become an Olympian as well as his nephew and his son. His dream is also my dream. I want to make my father proud, I want to make my country proud. I want to help my family, that’s where my strength comes from.”
Marcial would become only his country’s second gold medallist. Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz made history as the first Filipino to secure Olympic gold last week. Marcial’s teammate in their country’s boxing dream team, Nesthy Petecio, is also guaranteed an Olympic medal.
