After what had seemed like an exercise in futility, the Philippines finally struck gold in boxing — and it came from the fists of an old reliable.
Eumir Marcial delivered a virtuoso performance, eking out a split-decision victory over Indonesia’s Maikhel Roberrd Muskita in the light heavyweight (80 kg) finals of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games on Friday at the Chulalongkorn University Sports Center in Bangkok, Thailand.
Muskita entered the bout riding high after an impressive semifinal win over Thailand’s Jakkapong Yomkhot, making him the only fighter in the competition at that point to defeat a Thai boxer.
With that backdrop, Marcial came in ready to trade blows but remained wary of his opponent’s ability to spring another upset.
In the end, the experience of the professional fighter and Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist from Zamboanga City proved decisive. He picked his spots and seamlessly shifted between aggressive attacks and measured counterpunching.
Marcial’s gold medal triumph helped ease the heartbreak of earlier silver-medal finishes by Aira Villegas and Jay Bryan Baricuatro, both of whom fell to Thai boxers.
Notably, Marcial was the only Filipino finalist who did not have to face a Thai opponent, sparing him from the hometown decisions that had become a recurring theme in this year’s SEA Games boxing competition.
