Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Eumir Marcial got the go-signal from the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) to set up camp in the United States for the resumption of his professional career.
But the permission came with a caveat.
“We understand that it will be tricky to be a national and professional athlete at the same time,” ABAP secretary general and executive director Marcus Manalo told Daily Tribune yesterday.
“We know the principle of specificity of training to be successful at both. So we told Eumir how important it is to train with the national team before open (amateur) tournaments to also put preparation time in his timeline/calendar.”
Before flying to Los Angeles Monday night, Marcial assured the ABAP that he will suit up for flag and country in the Hanoi Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in May and in the Hangzhou Asian Games in September.
Aside from these two major meets, Marcial, according to Manalo, is also eyeing to participate in an international slugfest in April before the SEA Games.
But Manalo clarifies that everything is still up in the air since Marcial will confer with MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons about the SEA Games and the Asian Games.
Marcial is being targeted to make his second pro fight in late-March.
To get ready for this, the heavy-handed Marcial will undergo strength and conditioning training under the renowned Memo Heredia, whose clients — Juan Manuel Marquez and Yordenis Ugas — beat Manny Pacquiao.
The southpaw Marcial turned pro in December 2020 with a four-round decision over Andrew Whitfield in Los Angeles.
Marcial campaigns in the powerhouse middleweight division, the weight class where many legends of the sport fought.
Before leaving, Marcial, 26, did light training in his Tagaytay City home given by Philippine Olympic Committee president Bambol Tolentino.
