A sparring partner of Tokyo Olympics qualifier Eumir Marcial recently wondered if the Filipino puncher had something concealed inside his gloves.
“One guy went around asking if Eumir had something hidden,” an obviously tickled pink Sean Gibbons told Daily Tribune after Marcial’s sparring session at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood.
Of course, the poor chap was engaging in hyperbole as Marcial only had his hands inside the glove.
“He’s hitting hard,” Gibbons said.
Marcial is being groomed to make his pro debut in December in line with the plan to help him get better for the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics in July 2021.
The southpaw middleweight will continue to train under Hall of Fame cornerman Freddie Roach, his training assistant Marvin Somodio and strength coach Justin Fortune until he improves further.
“The main goal right now is the Olympics and he’s going to use his pro fights as preparation for Tokyo,” added Gibbons, who heads MP Promotions.
Marcial, 25, arrived in Los Angeles a month ago after eight months without proper training due to the coronavirus lockdown in the country.
Before the world was shaken to the core by the pandemic, Marcial went to Amman, Jordan, and topped the Asia-Oceania Olympic Qualification Tournament.
Hopes are high for Marcial to make it to the medal podium in Tokyo.
In the 2019 world championships in Ekaterinburg, Russia, Marcial finished second, making him one of the top favorites in the Olympics.
