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| Amid a possibility that he may have played his last Olympics, Eumir Marcial said he will focus on his pro career at least for the next three years. From Marcial's Facebook page |
MANDALUYONG--For at least the next three years, it seems like Eumir Marcial is leaning toward staying in the professional ranks.
On Wednesday, the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist said he is ruling out the possibility of playing in the next two Southeast Asian Games and the 2026 Asian Games to concentrate on his budding pro career.
"Focused ako sa pro. Walang amateur fights," Marcial said during a victory party hosted by Newport City at the Hilton Hotel Manila Grand Ballroom in Pasay.
Questions arose regarding what is next for Marcial after he was shockingly eliminated early in his Paris Olympics campaign.
There were already early speculations that the 28-year-old middleweight, currently 5-0 as a pro, could be bidding goodbye for good to Olympic-style boxing after Paris.
Marcial confirmed to a couple of reporters that the four-time Southeast Asian Games champion has already "graduated" from competing at the regional level and that may likely be the case too in the continental stage.
However, it remains a possibility that Marcial might consider one more try in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
"Kung darating yung panahon na nandyan yung Olympics, why not? Gusto ko pa rin i-represent yung bansa natin sa Olympics. Still, yung Olympic dream ang the best," Marcial further said.
However, Marcial's final decision will depend on the final status of boxing for LA.
As of present, boxing is not listed among the sports to be played in the LA Olympics amid an ongoing beef between the International Olympic Committee and the International Boxing Association.
"Sobrang hirap yung politics sa boxing. Ang daming bansang nagrereklamo, especially sa decisions," Marcial further said.
A new international amateur boxing organization, World Boxing, has been founded, and the IOC is set to recognize the new body as the official international federation for boxing if many domestic organizations join.
If WB becomes official in time, boxing could be reinstated for 2028, but for now, Marcial and the rest of the sport's community will have to wait and hope.
Follow him on X: @IvanSaldajeno
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