Eumir Marcial was an emotional wreck after bowing out of the men’s light heavyweight boxing tournament at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics early Wednesday morning (Manila time).
Expected to be a lock for a medal, the southpaw from Zamboanga City found no answers against 20-year-old Uzbek Turabek Khabibullaev.
“No excuses. Ganun talaga. Naging mahirap… Hindi natin nakuha yung panalo dahil siya yung better today. Nakakalungkot,” Marcial told One Sports.
“Talagang… kumbaga yung pangarap ko biglang gumuho.”
It has now been revealed that Marcial sustained a freak injury just two weeks before the Games.
Still, he is not using it as an excuse for the lopsided loss he suffered against the young upstart from Uzbekistan.
“Hindi ko alam kung paano ko i-eexplain. Lahat ng sakripisyo, paghihirap, kahit alam kong maraming pagsubok ang dumating, ginawa namin yung best ng team ko, team ko sa USA, team ko sa ABAP, ginawa namin yung best para maging maganda yung performance para makuha yung panalo. Pero kahit ganun, naging ganun pa rin yung desisyon,” he added.
“Hindi ko alam kung paano ko i-eexplain sa lahat ng Pilipino na naniniwala sa akin na sa pangalawang Olympics, makukuha natin yung gold, pero hindi nangyari. Yun lang talaga iniisip ko. Lusutan ko lang tong Uzbek, alam ko na sa mga susunod na laban, mas magaling sana.”
At 28 years old, Marcial’s career is now at a crossroads.
As a professional, he has only had five pro bouts – his last fight was a glorified exhibition match against Thoedsak Sinam last March.
“Sobrang sakit kasi isinantabi ko yung professional career ko. Ang dami kong sinakripisyo para sa Olympics na ‘to at makuha yung gold pero siguro mayroon pong mas maganda pang plano yung Panginoon sa akin,” he expressed.
“Hindi ko alam kung saan ako magsisimula – sa professional career ko ba o magsimula muli para sa Los Angeles Olympics? Hindi ko po alam. Ito sana yung best chance ko na makuha yung gold sa Olympics.”
For now, he wants to apologize to every Filipino for failing to replicate the magic he had in Tokyo three years ago.
“Humihingi lang ako ng pasensya sa lahat ng Pilipino na naniwala at sumuporta sa akin. Sana ganun pa rin yung suporta nila sa akin lalo ngayon na magdesisyon na mag-focus sa professional career ko.”
