Olympic-bound Eumir Marcial expected to train with Team Philippines

MANILA, Philippines – With six months to go before the Tokyo Olympics, the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines is hoping to get all its national pugs to train together —including Eumir Marcial.

Marcial, who had already qualified to the quadrennial summer games along with Irish Magno, is currently in Los Angeles, California where he trains under MP Promotions and, just a month ago, won his first professional fight.

But ABAP secretary-general Ed Picson wishes Marcial would rejoin the national team when it goes into a couple of training camps leading to the final stretch of its preparation for the Olympics set July 23 to August 8.

“We would rather have him train with ABAP for the Olympics,” said Picson, referring to Marcial.

Marcial was part of the 27-member team ABAP submitted to the Philippine Sports Commission that will join Olympic hopefuls in taekwondo and karatedo will train at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna tentatively set to start this weekend.

Magno and 2019 world women’s champion Nesthy Petecio are also in the list and will be coming from Iloilo and Davao, respectively.

Other notable boxers converging to the “Calambubble” are Carlo Paalam from Cagayan de Oro, Riza, Pasuit, Ian Clark Bautista James Palicte from Negros Occidental, Rogen Ladon from Romblon, Aira Villegas from Baguio and Charly Suarez from Quezon City.

ABAP consultant Don Abnett of Australia is already in Manila and will await the rest of the squad.

From Calamba, the national team will go into a two-month training camp in Muak Lek, Thailand next month pending the approval of the Inter-Agency Task Force.

And having Marcial return and reunite with the national squad for the final windup leading to Tokyo should further boost the country's chances of ending its long search for that elusive first Olympic gold medal.