Doha, Qatar—The second day of the AIBA World Boxing Championships saw the Philippines score a second win in as many outings as welterweight Eumir Felix Marcial walloped his Egyptian opponent Said Mohamed Walid causing the referee to give the latter three standing 8-counts for a technical knockout (TKO) victory for the Filipino.
Marcial, who is known for his power punches, took his time and baited the second-ranked boxer from the African Confederation Championships into coming in to meet the hard left straights and body shots of the Zamboangueño.
“Tinamaan din niya ako nung una kaya sabi ko kailangan ko na gumanti,” said the 19-year-old former world junior and Asian youth champion. (He actually hit me a couple of times in the early going so I said to myself I have to get back at him.)
“Mabuti na lang at tumama yong mga suntok ko,” he added with a self-deprecating grin. (Good thing my punches found their mark.)
He faces Spain’s Youba Sissokho in his next fight. The Spaniard won a hard-fought match against Thailand’s Ardee Sailom.
The other Filipino boxer here, Rogen Ladon of Bago City, started off the Philippine campaign Tuesday with a rousing unanimous decision win over Argentina’s Leandro Blanc.
“Eumir and Rogen both need to win at least four fights here to earn a slot to the Rio Olympics next year. This is a happy start,” said ABAP executive director Ed Picson, who was also ecstatic upon learning that boxing icon Manny Pacquiao stayed true to his word and had boarded a plane for Doha late Wednesday.
“The whole place is agog in anticipation of his visit Thursday and the organizers from Qatar and AIBA are laying out the red carpet for him. It’s going to be a hectic whistle-stop trip, but Manny said he wants to witness the new Olympic-style boxing, give moral support to our boxers and visit with the huge Filipino community here,” said Picson.
Other members of the lean Filipino delegation are coaches Nolito Velasco and Romeo Brin.
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