After his heart-wrenching defeat that caused his early exit from Paris Olympic boxing on Tuesday (Manila time), Filipino Olympian Eumir Marcial got encouragement and advised him to focus on professional boxing.
“Hinahangaan kita sa loob ng boxing ring pero mas lalo kita hingaan sa baba ng boxing ring nong nilapitan mo ako para icheer up at mag bigay ng advice.,” said Marcial in a post with their picture of the multiple world champion known as GGG in pro boxing.
Marcial revealed that the two-time unified world champion, now president of the Kazakhstan Olympic Committee, advised him to focus on his professional career.
“And I’ll keep the words na sinabi mo saken na mas better ako sa Professional boxing. Much respect champ GG,” added Marcial who failed to replicate his medal finish—bronze—in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
It was a heart-wrenching defeat for Marcial following a unanimous decision loss to Uzbekistan’s Turabek Khabibullaev in the Round of 16 of the men’s 80kg boxing event at the Paris Olympics.
This loss caused an early exit for Marcial, who previously won a bronze medal in the middleweight class at the Tokyo Olympics.
“My fighting spirit has never wavered for the Philippines. I’m devastated and at a loss for words. It’s a tough loss, and I don’t know how to explain it to all the Filipinos who believed in and supported me,” said Marcial in a statement.
Rib Injury
The 29-year-old Marcial expressed his deep disappointment after preparing extensively for his second Olympic appearance.
“It’s a difficult place to be in. No one really prepares to lose. But like I said, there are no excuses. It has always been my absolute dream to win the gold medal at the Olympics, not just for myself and my family, but most especially for the Philippines,” added Marcial, who spent much of his training time in the United States.
Born in Zamboanga, Marcial moved up in weight since the Tokyo Games and faced many adjustments after turning professional before his first Olympic stint.
“I went to training every day with a mindset of winning the gold. I’ve put in the hard work and sacrificed so much for this dream, even putting my professional career on hold,” said Marcial.
A rib injury hindered Marcial’s preparations, preventing him from sparring in the crucial weeks leading up to the Paris Olympics.
“He injured his rib and couldn’t train or spar for two weeks. He wasn’t able to stand due to the injury,” said his wife, Princess, in an interview posted on social media.
Marcial acknowledged the impact of the injury on his performance and mental strength, and he now faces a decision about the future of his career.
“Not many people know, but behind the scenes, I sustained an injury two weeks before the match that prevented me from moving and doing my usual training, which also affected my mental strength and overall performance,” added Marcial. With Peter Atencio
