Boxers Eumir Marcial and Weljon Mindoro will lead the Philippine team in the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand, the Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines announced on November 19, 2025 in Pasig City. Paige Javier, ABS-CBN News
Professional boxers Eumir Marcial and Weljon Mindoro are looking to make a statement for the Philippines in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games.
This, after several of their teammates fell short of the gold medal match in Bangkok, Thailand.
After drawing a bye in the five-player cast of their respective divisions, the two will fight for slots in the finals on Wednesday, with Marcial battling Vietnamese Nguyen Manh Chong in the 80kg (light-heavyweight) class and Mindoro taking on another Vietnamese, Bui Phuoc Tung, in the men's 75 kg middleweight division at the Chulalongkorn Sports Center.
Paris Olympics bronze medalist Aira Villegas also fights Wednesday against Mya Moe Thu of Myanmar in the semifinals of the women's 50kg flyweight category.
The plight of Filipino boxers here is not lost on the three, especially Marcial, a Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist and Paris Olympian, who is seeking his fifth straight SEA Games crown since 2015 and the clear favorite for the gold here.
READ: Pros Marcial and Mindoro, Olympians Petecio and Villegas banner PH boxing team for SEA Games
"With what is happening now here, I can't go for a decision win. We must go for a clear win and that is what I will do and what we need to do," the 30-year-old fighter from Zamboanga said.
"My condition is good and I am health. I am ready to fight anyone," added Marcial, who has been training here since mid-November.
Marcial will go into the fight at 5 p.m. (6 p.m. Manila time) favored to win, having beaten Chong in the preliminary round of the Hangzhou Asian Games via a 5-0 decision.
He is expected to flash his strength and punching prowess that have powered him to seven straight wins in the pros, four of them via KO.
If he wins, he will advance against 2022 SEA Games heavyweight gold winner Yomkhot Jakkapong of Thailand, who beat Indonesian Muskita Maikhel Roberrd via a 5-0 decision, in the gold medal match.
Mindoro, who is sporting a 15-0-1 win-loss-draw record with 15 knockouts as a pro, will make his debut in the biennial games against Tung, a Hangzhou 19th Asian Games campaigner, at 4:45pm.
"I don't go out of my hotel. I just train and rest so I can give my best during the fight," said Mindoro, 25, who is being trained by Joven Jimenez since last month. "We have been here training for one month and a few weeks. I am ready to fight now and hope to score a clear victory."
Villegas of Tacloban, Leyte squares off against Thu at 2:15 p.m.