Eumir Marcial takes the win against his Syrian opponent on October 4, 2023 during the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. Handout/POC-PSC Media/File
NAGOYA – Olympic bronze medalist boxer Eumir Marcial will no longer be competing at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines President Marcus Manalo told ABS-CBN News the decision came after Marcial scored a third round knockout win over Omar Huerta on Sunday, Philippine time.
READ: Eumir Marcial stops Huerta, stays unbeaten as a pro
Marcial was set to represent the Philippines in the men's 80kg division, which starts on September 23.
But with a quick turnaround time from his professional bout, the bemedalled boxer will be skipping the continental showcase.
"I spoke to Eumir right after winning his professional fight earlier. After carefully considering the situation, Eumir and I agreed that it would be better to skip the Asian Games," Manalo told ABS-CBN News in a message.
"It would be very hard for him to immediately transition from a professional fight in the US, into long-distance travel to Nagoya with a 16-hour time difference, and then into another high-level boxing competition with such a short recovery period," he added.
The ABAP President cited the demands of boxing on the athlete, underscoring the importance for every athlete to have 'adequate time to rest and recover' to avoid compromising their health.
"Eumir himself was very much looking forward to the opportunity to represent the flag once again. This is therefore a difficult decision for everyone involved," Manalo said.
"However, representing the Philippines is not only about stepping into the ring. It is also about making responsible decisions that protect our athletes and allow them to have long, healthy careers," he pointed out.
While Marcial was one of the athletes favored to bring home a medal, Manalo appealed for understanding as they made the 'tough' decision.
"We sincerely hope for understanding that this decision was made with Eumir’s best interests in mind. His commitment to Philippine boxing and to representing the country has never been in question," he said.
"Eumir is now looking ahead to representing the country in the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) in December," Manalo added.
The Philippine boxing team includes Marcial's fellow Olympians Carlo Paalam (55kg), Nesthy Petecio (60kg) and Aira Villegas (51kg), as well as Nesthy Petecio (60kg), alongside Riza Pasuit (54kg), Junmilardo Ogayre (60kg) and Norlan Petecio (70kg).
The PH boxing team will open its Asian Games campaign on September 21.