HANGZHOU, China — The last man standing for Team Philippines remains standing.
And he’s now set to take a stroll in the Paris Olympics.
Pressured to deliver an Asian Games gold medal, Eumir Marcial displayed an ultimate boxing masterclass when he knocked out Syrian showboat Ahmad Ghousoon in the semifinals of the men’s 80-kilogram boxing event on Wednesday at the Hangzhou Gymnasium here.
Marcial climbed the ring with fire in his eyes.
After outpointing the Syrian in the first round, Marcial delivered a devastating left uppercut into the stomach of the Syrian that prompted referee Manuel Vilariuno of Argentina to temporarily stop the match in the early stretch of the second round.
Ghousoon stormed back in a bid to recover but Marcial planted a lethal right hook to the head with 1:49 left to seal his victory.
The victory meant a lot to the 27-year-old Marcial as he arranged a sudden-death duel with hometown favorite Tanglatihan Tuohetaerbieke of China in the gold medal match on Thursday while booking a return flight to the Summer Olympics next year.
He became the fourth Filipino to qualify in the Paris Games after EJ Obiena of athletics, Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan of gymnastics formally punched their respective tickets.
But the road to the Olympics was littered with tears and frustrations, especially after his weight division — the 75-kg class — got scrapped in the Paris Games.
“I almost lost hope,” an emotional Marcial, who nearly quit the amateurs after moving to the professional ranks under Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions.
“I told myself that the Olympics may no longer be for me because they already scrapped my (weight) division. I told myself that I should focus on the professional ranks, instead. But my family and friends convinced me to stay. They believed in me.”
Philippine Olympic Committee Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino was over the moon with Marcial’s victory.“That’s Eumir. He’s very focused and dedicated, and he has trained well not only for the Asian Games but also for the Olympics,” said Tolentino, one of the few people who convinced Marcial to keep fighting in the amateur ranks.
“Now, we have a bright chance for another gold medal here and in Paris.”
“Eumir made us all very happy and very proud of his victory — but the job is not over here. He still has to fight for that gold against the Chinese and I am confident that he will be raising our colors in the end.”
Shortly after Marcial’s victory, Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines chairman Ricky Vargas, together with Cignal executives Jane Basas and Sienna Olaso, rushed to the mixed zone to give his prized ward a warm hug.
“Paris tayo, ha,” Vargas whispered to Marcial, underscoring one of the sweetest and emotional moments for Team Philippines, which is already winding up its Asian Games campaign with just a single gold medal in its collection.
“Pero kunin pa muna natin ang gold,” Marcial answered back.
Vargas said Marcial’s victory came at a perfect time.
“Only hope. One last man standing. If we get his gold, it’s like a vindication for us,” Vargas told a handful of Manila-based sportswriters.
When reminded that Marcial will be clashing with a Chinese in the gold medal bout, Vargas seems unbothered.
“Okay lang. Sila din naman ang kalaban natin sa basketball eh,” Vargas said before breaking into laughter.
