Tokyo Olympic-bound Eumir Marcial averted an upset at the hands of India’s Ashish Kumar, taking a split decision win to advance to the middleweight finals of the 2020 Asia and Oceania Olympic Boxing Qualifiers, Wednesday.
Unlike his first two bouts at the Prince Hamzeh Hall, Sport City in Amman, Jordan, Marcial had to work for this one.
Kumar’s left jab proved to be troublesome for the top seed during the first round. Still, Marcial was able to recover in the second round as Kumar played into his game.
Though stunned early in the third round, Marcial kept slugging it out to get the judges’ nod.
Marcial will face Kazakhstan’s Abilkhan Amankul, who defeated China’s Tanglatihan Erbieke via a split decision later in the day.
Marcial opened his campaign with a unanimous decision win over Australia’s Kirra Ruston. He followed it up with a third round referee’s stoppage win over Mongolia’s Byamba-Erdene Otgonbaatar.
