The Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) on Friday called on renegade Filipino middleweight Eumir Marcial to “come home” and “set an example to national athletes” as the country revs up its buildup for the Tokyo Olympics.
“I would like Eumir to rejoin his teammates,” ABAP president Ricky Vargas told Daily Tribune amid the controversy surrounding Marcial’s rants against the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) over its alleged lack of support to his Olympic buildup.
Vargas likewise urged Marcial to draw inspiration from Manny Pacquiao’s character.
“Eumir said he idolizes Sen. Manny so I am calling him to be like Sen. Manny, who has put his love of country on top,” Vargas said.
Last year, Marcial signed a professional contract with the Pacquiao-owned MP Promotions that saw him formally shed off his amateur status after seeing action in Los Angeles before Christmas.
When Marcial turned pro, the ABAP lost contact with the Olympic hopeful as the Zamboanga native traveled to the United States.
He stayed in Los Angeles for seven months and only came back to the Philippines last month.
Instead of heading to Thailand to be with his ABAP teammates, Marcial went to Zamboanga to visit his ailing father and resume his training there under the watch of a professional boxing trainer and a handpicked ABAP tactician.
Marcial, 25, is due to fly to Dubai for the Asian championships beginning 21 May and is being lured to finally camp out in Thailand until the call time to head to Tokyo.
“He has decided to go on his own and that’s not a good example not only to the other boxers but to the rest of the national team,” Vargas said.
Marcial receives a monthly allowance of P43,000 from he PSC and another monthly stipend from the Philippine Air Force, which is not enough to finance his training given that he has a team helping him prepare.
“It seems he doesn’t believe in the system of the ABAP but it was this system that will bring him to Tokyo,” said Vargas.
“There’s only one way to remedy this. And that is for Eumir to join us again,” Vargas added.
