Philippines, 03 Oct 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Second Overtime: Eumir Marcial leans on the Navarro family


PhilBoxing.com





CHICAGO -- While preparing for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, Eumir Marcial is equally busy these days squealing about what he feels is the lack of support for his preparations.

With the fury of a thousand punches, he has been throwing sharp verbal jabs at the PSC and the ABAP. And the the latest installment arrived yesterday.

The middleweight boxer acknowledged receiving P43,000 a month in allowances from the PSC but he insists it's not enough.

"Kung ganyan ang supporta at mentality niyo, wag kayong maghangad ng gold sa Olympics," said Marcial who explained that the coast of team coaches, supplements, plane tickets, accommodations, etc, all amount to a small fortune.

A few days after Marcial arrived from Los Angeles last week to set up camp in his hometown of Zamboanga, he spoke to me on the phone and mentioned his pleas for help.

I walked away from that conversation with a crushed soul. I had hoped that the circumstances would change in the ensuing days.

It did. For the worse.

Look, I think highly of the PSC and the ABAP. Those organizations have done a lot of great work for our national athletes over the years.

But when it comes to conflicts such as this, I tend to err on the side of the athletes because the athlete often do not have the motive to lie while organizations are forever beholden to internal politics and vested interests.

I may be wrong here but I think the PSC and ABAP need to do much better on this case.

EVEN IF EUMIR IS ACTING LIKE A DIVA, HE HAS EARNED THAT STATUS.

He is a superstar who deserves extra special treatment. That's just how things work in sports. And lest we forget, he is our country's best hope to win an Olympic gold in this cycle of the Summer Games.

Excellence costs money, we need to pay for it. It's called an investment.

The Philippines infamously splurged P55 million for a damn cauldron during the 2019 SEA Games that we hosted. What's a few million bucks to provide Eumir with whatever he needs to pursue the highest individual achievement we as a nation have waited several lifetimes to capture?

While the tension is definitely a distraction for Eumir, I trust that he can put all this behind once he heads to Dubai for the Asian Championships beginning on May 24.

But I am comforted by the knowledge that the Navarro family has taken great care of Eumir since he landed in Zamboanga from the Wild Card gym.

"Pasalamat jud ko ni sir Junnie. Siya man akong gitawagan nga mouli ko para mag training diri. Mitando dayon siya." (I'm grateful for sir Junnie. I called him from L.A. to ask permission to use his gym and he said yes right away.)

What's in it for the Navarros?

Nothing. No hidden agenda.

"Gusto lang jud nila maka gold ko," (They just want me to win a gold medal), Marcial said, prepared to swear on a stack of bibles.


The family portrait of the Navarro family, who owns the Valientes basketball team.

Pillars of the community, the Navarros have long been supporting teams and athletes locally and nationally. The patriarch, the late Rolando Sr., was a huge backer of softball back in the day before sponsoring was fashionable.

Madame Cory, the family matriarch, has since carried the torch.

Sean Gibbons, the president of Manny Pacquiao Promotions, told PhilBoxing.com he isn't worried with Eumir training away from the United States.

"He has a great set-up there and the gym the Navarros have is world-class."

The hope here is that the pit stop in his hometown will allow Eumir to recharge mentally and emotionally before he goes about with his mission in Japan.

A nations prays. May the force be with him.


The Navarro Gym in Zamboanga.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Homer D. Sayson.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Lorenzo Parra Vs Elijah Pierce and Jimuel Pacquiao Pro Debut Featured in Manny Pacquiao Promotions Nov. 29 Inaugural Event at Pechanga Resort Casino
    , Fri, 03 Oct 2025
  • Villar and Astuvilca Make Weight for Title Rematch at All Star Boxing: Seneca Fight Night
    , Fri, 03 Oct 2025
  • Allan Villanueva vs. Jyl Wright Headlines Peter Maniatis Event in Melbourne Oct. 3
    , Thu, 02 Oct 2025
  • BUSTAMANTE AND JONES NAMED CAPTAINS FOR REYES CUP 2025
    , Thu, 02 Oct 2025
  • Mike Tyson Joins BoltBetz as Strategic Investor and Promotional Partner to Usher in a New Era of Cashless Gaming
    , Thu, 02 Oct 2025
  • BOXING LEGEND MANNY PACQUIAO LAUNCHES “MANNY PACQUIAO PROMOTIONS” IN THE UNITED STATES
    , Thu, 02 Oct 2025
  • BOOTS HUNTING THE BIG FISH AT 154LBS
    , Thu, 02 Oct 2025
  • IBA Unveils Historic 2025 IBA Men’s Elite World Championships as Part of a Spectacular Two-Week ‘Festival of Boxing’ in Dubai with Unprecedented $8 Million Prize Pool
    , Thu, 02 Oct 2025
  • Final Bell for 2025 USA Boxing National Open Event National Open Event Concludes with 1,870 Registered Participants in Tulsa, Oklahoma
    , Thu, 02 Oct 2025
  • THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 15: JOE FRAZIER’S PROFESSIONAL CAREER
    By Maloney L. Samaco, , Thu, 02 Oct 2025
  • World Boxing relocates Congress 2025 to Rome
    , Thu, 02 Oct 2025
  • Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaiman: Behind the WBC Boxing Grand Prix
    By Mauricio Sulaimán, , Wed, 01 Oct 2025
  • JOHANN CHUA BEGINS TITLE DEFENCE AGAINST IVICA PUTNIK AS DRAW CONFIRMED FOR 2025 HANOI OPEN POOL CHAMPIONSHIP
    , Wed, 01 Oct 2025
  • CUBAN FUTURE CHAMPIONS YOENLI HERNANDEZ, ARMANDO MARTINEZ RABI & GUSTAVO TRUJILLO HEADLINE ‘FISTS OF FURY 8’
    , Wed, 01 Oct 2025
  • USA Boxing Finishes Canada Duel Undefeated
    , Wed, 01 Oct 2025
  • Dana White Seeks to Make Significant Changes in the World Boxing
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 01 Oct 2025
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 29 September 2025: Ferreira Retains IBF 135 Belt by Outpointing Moneo; Clavel Dethrones IBF 105 Champ Cudos
    By Eric Armit, , Tue, 30 Sep 2025
  • Canelo Alvarez Facing Extended Layoff After Crawford Loss; Surgery Confirms Injury Rumors
    By Dong Secuya, , Tue, 30 Sep 2025
  • Dante Stone is last American standing in Inaugural WBC Grand Prix
    , Tue, 30 Sep 2025
  • Age Defying Triumph: At Age 50 Toshihiko Era Wins World Title
    By Carlos Costa, , Tue, 30 Sep 2025
  • TKO and Zuffa Boxing sign streaming agreement with Paramount
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 30 Sep 2025
  • Boxing Ephemera, Pacquiao’s Mouthguard, and the Meaning of It All
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Tue, 30 Sep 2025
  • A turning point for global sport: IBA President Umar Kremlev and Donald Trump Jr join forces
    , Mon, 29 Sep 2025
  • Rosia captures PBF super fly title
    , Mon, 29 Sep 2025
  • Tancontians starred 2025 Sports Heroes Night
    , Mon, 29 Sep 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.