Eumir to focus on pros

MANILA, Philippines — The die is cast and there’s no turning back. Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Eumir Marcial is signed to fight Omar Ulises Huerta at the Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, California, on Sept. 19 and won’t make it on time for his first bout at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Sept. 23. ABAP president Marcus Manalo is resigned to losing Marcial for the Asian Games and said, “he should really focus on the pros if that’s his decision.” However, the window is still open for Marcial to transition back to Olympic-style boxing in case he plans to qualify for the 2028 LA Games.

Marcial is now training in Las Vegas under MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons’ care. “You can’t keep a good man down,” said Gibbons. “Brother Eumir is focused. We have a goal and it’s the world title. It’s been our goal since 2021. Eumir is doing amazing, he’s got a Filipino coach (Rey Galido) who came with him. He’s got a great team with coach Joven (Jimenez) and coach Kay (Koroma). Sept. 19 is the absolute start and not stop, start, stop. We’re going all in for this one. I see 2027, some time in that year, he’s getting the opportunity to get the gold medal in the pros, to get a world title.”

Marcial hasn’t fought in the pros since scoring a majority 10-round decision over Eddy Colmenares for the WBC International middleweight crown at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last October. Two months later, he bagged the 80kg gold at the SEA Games. “Sa ngayon, hindi ko na muna iniisip na maka-habol sa Asian Games,” said Marcial. “Focus lang muna ako sa laban.” Marcial described Huerta as tactical. Huerta, 30, has a record of 15-1-1, with 13 KOs. The 6-1 US-born fighter, nicknamed “La Bala” or The Bullet, is coming off a 10-round loss on points to Vito Mielnicki in Atlantic City last April. The decision was lopsided as two judges scored it a shutout. In his previous fight, Huerta was held to a split six-round draw by Antonio Barajas a year before. He started his career on a 15-0 streak with three first round KOs.

Manalo said the better option is to tap another pro Weljon Mindoro to replace Marcial in the Asian Games. The possibility is now being discussed with Mindoro’s team. Mindoro, 26, is unbeaten as a pro with a 17-0-1 record, including 16 KOs. He’s slated to take on Mexico’s Carlos Ocampo in a 10-rounder in Los Angeles on Aug. 29. Mindoro drew a bye in the middleweight division at the SEA Games last year and lost his only fight to Vietnam’s Bui Phuoc Tung in the semis but went home with a bronze.