JAKARTA?Boxing is back in business.
While the eight-man squad has been trimmed down to three, Eumir Felix Marcial led the charge of the remaining medal hopefuls late Monday with a sensational second-round stoppage of Macau?s Ng Kuon Kun in the 2018 Asian Games.
Marcial fashioned the victory at the expense of a pro fighter who came into the bout armed with a 12-0 win-loss card with seven KOs.
Pro fighters have been allowed to compete in the Asiad.
Marcial, the 2009 world junior champion and two-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, proved too much, however, for the Macanese bet, who went down after taking a vicious 1-2 combo.
With the win, Marcial will now face Korean Kim Junjea in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. Also fighting on the same day is light-fly Carlo Paalam, who meets Temiras Zhuzzupov of Kazakhstan in the quarters.
Fly Rogen Ladon, veteran of the 2016 Rio Olympics, was set to collide with Mahmetov Azat of Kazakhstan, at press time.
Earlier, welter Joel Bacho, James Palicte and Mario Fernandez in the men?s and Nesthy Petecio and Irish Magno in women?s, had been sent packing.
The Philippines has a current tally of 3-0-12 (gold-silver-bronze) for 19th place with host Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore the only other SEA countries ahead. Four years ago in Incheon, the Philippines finished 22nd with one gold.
In athletics, three-time Olympian Marestela Torres, failed to make a dent in long jump after finishing ninth overall with a leap of 6.15 meters, way below her personal-best of 6.71m she registered in the 2011 SEAG in Palembang.
Track and field is still in contention with US-based sprinters Kristina Knott and Trenten Beram making it to the semifinals scheduled Tuesday night.
The Philippine women?s volleyball is still in the thick of the fight but will be facing three-time Olympic champion China Wednesday night.
Volleyball coach Shaq delos Santos plans to use to milk the rare opportunity for invaluable experience.
?It?s not every day that we get the chance to face China,? he said.
The Philippines dropped back-to-back games?against Thailand Japan?before scoring a win against Hong Kong to earn a berth in the quarters despite losing to Indonesia.
?We know that we are just in the early stage of our volleyball program so whatever experience we will gain against an elite team like China will be a major help,? added Delos Santos.
The men?s basketball squad was facing Japan in for the right to figure in the battle for fifth place at press time.
