Asian Boxing Championships: Marcial, Ladon, Bautista reach quarterfinals

BANGKOK – Eumir Felix Marcial left the Thammasat University campus Sunday evening with a swollen right eye, a one-inch gash under the left one, and an ice pack on his head.

But he grinned from ear to ear.

Marcial, a welterweight, just pulled off a stunning 2-1 victory over second seed Israil Madrinov of Uzbekistan to reach the quarterfinals of the ASBC Asian Boxing Championships.

Two other Filipinos – light-fly Rogen Ladon and flyweight Ian Clark Bautista – moved on to the quarterfinals of this event as tough as the Asian Games.

Ladon whipped Rakhmankul Avatov of Kyrgyzstan, 3-0, also Sunday night while Bautista cruised past Trong Thai Bui of Vietnam, 3-0, Monday afternoon.

One more win and they’re assured of slots in the AIBA World Championships in Doha in October. It’s a qualifying event for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Marcial, 19, from Zamboanga City, was so happy with his victory he was the one who congratulated his teammates, shaking their hands, in the dressing area.

“Naka-tsamba na naman (Got lucky once more). Step by step,” the gold medalist in the 2011 World Junior Championships told The STAR.

Inside the bus on the way back to the hotel, Marcial pressed the ice pack behind his right ear and gently touched his eyes with his fingers.

“Ang hirap kumita, sir (It’s tough to earn a living). Pero para sa karangalan din ng bayan natin ito (But it’s also for the honor of our country),” he said.

For three rounds, he traded hard shots with Madrinov, mostly to the head, mostly straights. In the third round, they were deducted a point each for repeated ducking.

In the end, it could have gone either way.

Marcial won on two scorecards, 28-27 and 29-26, while the third one went to Madrinov, 28-27. 

The top six boxers in the weight classes of Ladon, Bautista and Marcial will go to Doha.

Three Filipinos now in the quarterfinals eased the pain suffered by bantamweight Mario Fernandez and lightweight Charly Suarez, who lost to seeded boxers from Kazakhstan.

“The boys were unlucky to run into some top seeds early. But we are keeping the faith,” said Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines president Ricky Vargas from Manila.

Making it to Doha is not the only goal.

“While the immediate objective is to qualify to the World Championships, our boxers are motivated to go for the gold here,” said ABAP executive director Ed Picson.

On Tuesday, Ladon faces No. 2 Murdjon Rasulov of Tajikistan, a veteran of the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon but whom the Filipino had never faced before.

Then on Wednesday, Marcial meets local boy Saylom Ardee, who had lost twice to Suarez at 60 kg but is now campaigning at 69 kg while Bautista battles Azat Usenaliev of Kyrgyzstan.

“Thailand ang sunod (is next). Hindi tayo dapat maunahan dahil taga-dito siya (We can’t give him the upperhand because he’s from here),” said Marcial.

Ladon jumped the gun on Avatov and proved to be the aggressor. He sustained his attack until the end and emerged as the clear winner.

The two boxers traded shots at the center of the ring and got entangled numerous times, wrestling each other to the ground three times.

“Napansin ko na galing sa labas ang mga suntok niya at medyo mabagal. Kaya pinasok ko siya ng diretso. Lumusot ang mga suntok ko,” said Ladon.