Marcial at a loss after painful defeat

PARIS – Eumir Marcial is suddenly unsure of the path he’s taking down the road.

Beaten right in his first bout in the Paris Games, Marcial was emotional and at a loss how to start all over again.

“Ang daming katanungan sa isip ko ngayon; paano ako magsisimula uli? Magsisimula ba akong mangarap pa uli na makuha ang (Olympic) gold o magpo-focus na sa aking pro career?” said Marcial.

“Sa mga kababayan kong naniwala at sumuporta sa akin, tulungan nyo po akong bumangon at magsimula muli. Pro ba o Olympics uli? Mahirap po sa ngayon magsimula uli,” added Marcial, overcome by emotion after a shock loss to Uzbek Olympic debutant Turabek Khabibullaev Tuesday night here.

The Tokyo Games bronze winner was booted out of the medal fight, unable to match the great energy of his 20-year-old rival.

“Sobrang lungkot,” said Marcial of the upset that blew away his Paris golden dream.

“Ang lungkot, ang laki ng sinakripisyo ko para dito. Sinakripisyo ko ang pro career ko,” said Marcial, among the pros entered in the Paris boxing competition.

But Marcial isn’t blaming anyone even as he said he’s really at a great disadvantage in the 80kg category.

“Alam nating lahat hindi ito ang natural weight category ko. Hirap ako dahil sobrang liit ko,” said Marcial, podium finisher in Tokyo at a lower class.

He looked for a knockout punch that didn’t come.

And probably a premonition was Marcial scanning the gallery for the sight of his wife shortly before the tiff. “Hindi ko natanaw,” he said later.

But Marcial is keeping the faith, believing he lost for a reason and that God has a better plan.