Eumir Marcial Prevails in Pro Debut But it was not a Breakout Party
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 18 Dec 2020
Everybody was saying Eumir Felix Marcial made and won his pro boxing debut against Andrew Whitfield at middleweight.
It was actually at super middleweight as Marcial and Whitfield officially weighed respectively at 162.4 lbs. and 165.8 lbs. and most likely came to the fight well above 160 lbs., the middleweight limit in pro boxing (it is 165 lbs in the amateurs).
That would probably explain why Marcial looked and performed so differently from the many I have seen him especially in the last Manila SEA Games which I covered for Sports Radio and the Pre Olympics Qualifiers in Amman which I avidly followed in the internet.
Of course, any newcomer would be groping given that a four rounder, although a round longer than the standard fare in the amateurs, is what we can call as pro boxing's version of the sprint.
I thought Marcial found a little difficulty in adjusting to the fight duration and the already seasoned pro style of Whitfield which were as I said understandable. He was a little tense and hence stiff particularly in the first two rounds compared to the more relaxed and smoother style of Whitfield.
Marcial was lucky that Whitfield came as advertised, a game bell to bell in your face fighter who willingly traded with him throughout the match. That gave him the opportunity to show his wares but not necessarily with vaunted punching power although he managed to raise a huge welt around the American's left eye.
Fightnews carried the short story of the fight:
"Middleweight Eumir Marcial, a member of the 2020 Philippines Olympian team, won his pro debut by four round unanimous decision against Andrew Whitfield (3-2, 2 KOs). Entertaining slugfest with Whitfield landing his share of shots also. Scores were 40-36 3x."
Had it been against a slick, jab and mover, I don't know. Marcial appeared heavy and slow. It could have been as I said a combination of many factors, including a little nerves.
But even when Marcial had started to relax and go with the flow of the fight in the last two rounds, even got to show a thing or two in evasive defense, somehow he was vastly different from the fast, smooth operator that he was just months ago.
Nanibago lang kaya siya? Was it just adjusting to the pros?
Or was it his weight? I don't know how much Marcial weighed during the times he was competing in tournaments but he seemed light and fast and strong even against taller and huskier opponents from the former Soviet republics.
Note that some of Marcial's amateur rivals as Daniyar Yeleussunov, Israil Madimov and Khulakmet Tursynbay have been fighting successfully in the pros below the middleweight class. Perhaps, his camp could look into this.
Did Freddie Roach made him do exercises to strengthen his body and made him hit harder but made his muscles less flexible as what happened in the transformation of Gerry Penalosa from a smooth fighter to a fearsome knockout puncher in the 90s, early 2000s?
Of course, Marcial will be needing those especially in the pros. But will he be more potent and effective than he was in his last amateur stints heading to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics?
Noticeably, Marcial got hit many times during his pro debut and his face showed the marks of the combat. That's a concern.
It was great Eumir passed his baptism of fire in the pros but his camp to include his former handlers at ABAP should evaluate thoroughly and carefully if his continuing to fight---and train under Roach--- professionally would really help him in his Olympic medal quest.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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