Filipino Olympian Eumir Felix Marcial weathered three knockdowns en route to a dramatic fourth-round technical knockout win against a game American Isiah Hart Sunday morning (Manila time) at the Virgins Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Fighting for the first time since claiming a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in July last year, Marcial started the fight seemingly measuring the skill of his lanky foe when he got tagged with a quick counter right, sending the Zamboangeño falling flat on his back.
The 26-year-old Marcial though got up quick from the knockdown and immediately, the Filipino stepped on the gas pedal from then on.
But Marcial being too eager saw him suffer two more trips to the canvass in the second round, both by Hart’s blinding right counter.
“He showed great heart, intentional fortitude. He got up, went back to work and just ran off a couple of more bombs.
Overall, it was a great learning experience,” said MP President Sean Gibbons, who was at ringside to provide assistanceto Team Marcial.
By the third, Marcial continued to pursue Hart but became more cautious until the Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist staggered the American with a left straight to the temple in the fourth round.
Referee Raul Caiz, Jr. immediately stepped in to prevent Marcial from unleashing an onslaught on the wobbled New Jersey-based boxer.
The end came at :47 of the fourth canto of the fight, where Marcial (2-0, 1 knockout) trailed on all three judges’ scorecards via identical 26-29 tallies.
Meanwhile, Marcial and his wife Princess are scheduled to return to the country this week, then will immediately proceed to Thailand to join the National Boxing Team that is gearing up for the country’s campaign in the upcoming Southeast Asian Games set to happen next month in Vietnam.
