With most of their teammates having fallen by the wayside — some victims of questionable judging — all eyes are now on pro boxers Eumir Marcial and Weljon Mindoro to make a statement for the Philippines in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games.
After drawing byes in the five-player fields of their respective divisions, both fighters will compete for spots in the finals on Wednesday.
Marcial will face Vietnamese Nguyen Manh Chong in the 80kg (light-heavyweight) class. Meanwhile, Mindoro takes on another Vietnamese, Bui Phuoc Tung, in the men’s 75kg middleweight division at the Chulalongkorn Sports Center here.
Paris Olympics bronze medalist Aira Villegas also fights Wednesday against Mya Moe Thu of Myanmar in the semifinals of the women’s 50kg flyweight category.
The situation facing Filipino boxers has not been lost on the three, especially Marcial, a Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist and Paris Olympian. He is aiming for his fifth straight SEA Games crown since 2015 and enters the tournament as the clear favorite for gold.
“With what is happening now here, I can’t go for a decision win. We must go for a clear win, and that is what I will do and what we need to do,” said the 30-year-old fighter from Zamboanga.
“My condition is good and I am healthy. I am ready to fight anyone,” added Marcial, who has been training in Thailand since mid-November.
Marcial is favored to win his fight at 5:00 PM (6:00 PM Manila time), having defeated Chong in the preliminary round of the Hangzhou Asian Games via a 5-0 decision. He is expected to showcase the strength and punching prowess that have powered him to seven straight wins as a pro, four by knockout.
A victory will pit him against 2022 SEA Games heavyweight gold medalist Yomkhot Jakkapong of Thailand, who defeated Indonesian Muskita Maikhel Roberrd via a 5-0 decision, in the gold medal match.
Mindoro, boasting a 15-0-1 pro record with 15 knockouts, will make his SEA Games debut against Tung, a Hangzhou 19th Asian Games competitor, at 4:45 PM.
“I don’t go out of my hotel. I just train and rest so I can give my best during the fight,” said Mindoro, 25, who has been training under Joven Jimenez since last month. “We have been here training for one month and a few weeks. I am ready to fight now and hope to score a clear victory.”
Villegas of Tacloban, Leyte, squares off against Thu at 2:15 PM.
