Eumir Marcial has long established himself as one of the Philippines’ finest boxers, building an impressive résumé that includes medals at the Olympic Games, World Championships, Asian Games, and Southeast Asian Games. But as he enters a crucial stage of his career, the Filipino middleweight has made it clear that his focus is now firmly set on achieving his ultimate dream in the professional ranks—a world championship.
The 30-year-old southpaw has confirmed that he will skip the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, opting instead to continue climbing the professional rankings as he pursues a world title opportunity.
Marcial, the reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) International middleweight champion, is currently preparing for the eighth fight of his professional career, scheduled for September 19—the same day as the opening ceremony of the Asian Games. With another regional title expected to be on the line, Marcial believes remaining active in the professional circuit is the best path toward securing a world title shot next year.
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The decision marks a significant shift for one of the country’s most decorated amateur boxers, who has proudly represented the Philippines in numerous international competitions throughout his career.
Speaking during a media interaction, Marcial revealed that he had already informed Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) president Marcus Manalo of his decision.
“It’s a very hard decision but at the same time, I need to continue what I started in my professional career. They respected my decision because I need to go up in the rankings so I can pursue a world title fight by next year,” Marcial said.
Two-time Olympian Eumir Felic Marcial set aside his Asian Games boxing gold medal dream by opting for his eighth professional fight which is scheduled September 19—exactly the opening ceremony for the games’ 20th edition in Aichi and Nagoya.
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Although stepping away from the Asian Games was not an easy choice, Marcial emphasized that the timing of his professional career leaves him little room to balance both campaigns.
The Olympic bronze medalist has already spent time training in Japan and is expected to fly to Las Vegas next week, where he will continue preparations under renowned coach Kay Koroma as he fine-tunes his game for his upcoming bout.
“I have already represented the country many times since I went pro. It’s really about time and another regional title belt is also on the line,” he added.
Marcial enters his next fight carrying an unblemished professional record of 7-0 with four knockouts, a run that has steadily strengthened his reputation as one of the most promising Filipino fighters in the middleweight division.
His most recent outing came during the 50th anniversary celebration of the historic “Thrilla in Manila” in October 2025 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, where he earned a hard-fought victory over Venezuela’s Eddy Colmenares. The win not only preserved his perfect record but also reinforced his readiness to compete against higher-ranked opposition as he inches closer to a world championship opportunity.
While his immediate focus is on professional boxing, Marcial has not completely closed the door on amateur competition. The Zamboanga native confirmed that he still intends to pursue qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, where he hopes to compete in his third Olympics.
“Los Angeles Olympics? Yes. I will try my best to qualify next year and compete for the third time in the Olympics. But for now, I really need to concentrate on my pro career and get a world title shot. Again, it was a difficult decision, but I need to,” Marcial said.
Marcial’s amateur accomplishments have already secured his place among the country’s boxing greats. In addition to winning a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, he captured a silver medal at the 2019 AIBA World Boxing Championships and has collected multiple medals in both the Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games.
Now entering the prime of his career, Marcial is chasing the one achievement still missing from his decorated résumé—a world championship in the professional ranks. While the Asian Games will move forward without one of the Philippines’ biggest boxing stars, Marcial believes the sacrifice is necessary as he pursues the next—and perhaps biggest—chapter of his career.
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