Despite coming close to being knocked out in his last showing, heavy-handed middleweight Eumir Marcial remains a big favorite to bag a gold medal in the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Hanoi.
Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) president Ed Picson swears the three knockdowns Marcial suffered last month in Los Angeles was a “cause for concern.”
“I have never seen him get knocked down three times. Yeah, he’s been down a couple of times in the past but not three knockdowns in (just) four rounds,” Picson told Tuesday’s online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum.
Still, Picson is confident the battery of coaches in the Philippine teams’ training camp in Muak Lek in Thailand would address the matter so it doesn’t happen again in Hanoi.
“Having said that, we still acknowledge that Eumir is still one of our best bets (for a gold medal). We have full confidence in his abilities,” Picson said, noting that the think-tank headed by Australian strategist Don Abnett should know how to address the issue.
Likewise, ABAP secretary-general Marcus Manalo insists Marcial’s needs are being attended to by Abnett and the solid ABAP coaching staff.
“Eumir’s coming off a fight so work will be more on (his) timing and tactical side,” Manalo said.
Marcial, who bagged the bronze in the Tokyo Olympics, had to pick himself up once in the first round and twice in the second round before stopping Isiah Hart in the fourth round.
There will be 13 gold medals up for grabs in the SEA Games with the Philippines entered in ten events, according to the ABAP.
To rev up for the SEA Games, the ABAP sent the boxers to Thailand in March so they can train before participating in the Thailand Open held last month.
Picson said the training arrangements in Thailand were terrific as the ABAP’s requests have been granted.
The boxing team, also featuring Tokyo silver medalist Nesthy Petecio, travels to Hanoi from Bangkok on 13 May.
Missing from the team is the country’s third Olympic boxing medalist — flyweight silver medal winner Carlo Paalam — who is still trying to get back into shape as he gears up for the Hangzhou Asian Games in September.
Picson said sharing a training camp with the Thais — their biggest rivals — doesn’t favor anybody.
“If they can see us, we can also see them,” Picson said in the forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, MILO, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Unilever, Amelie Hotel Manila and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.
“We looked at the cost and benefit of it. We’re looking at the possible advantages and disadvantages. Besides, the Vietnamese boxers are also there training.”
“The Thais have been very accommodating and generous. They gave us all our requests right away.”
Manalo echoed Picson’s statements.
“The main factor why we decided to stay there is the quality of training,” said the youthful boxing executive.
“And at the end of the day, you can’t hide anything from them. It all boils down to your execution inside the ring.”
