SPORTS SHORTS 104: JERWIN ANCAJAS HELPS EUMIR MARCIAL IN THE QUEST FOR OLYMPIC GOLD
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 15 Apr 2021
Following his successful ninth title defense of his International Boxing Federation (IBF) superflyweight belt against Mexican Jonathan Rodriguez, Jerwin Ancajas declared that he and his training team will stay for sometime in the United States to assist in the preparations of countryman Eumir Marcial for the Olympics.
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Marcial trains with Ancajas in Los Angeles at the Wild Card Gym since October last year. Both fighters are now under the MP Promotions of Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao.
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“We are still going to help my compatriot Eumir in his preparation for the Olympics. Today, what’s important is we defended my title and we will help Eumir get the gold in the Olympics,” said Ancajas in his post-fight press conference.
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Ancajas will assist Marcial possibly until the first week of May only, when Marcial will join his fellow Philippine boxing team members for a training camp and tournament in India.
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“We probably will return around the first week (of May) in the Philippines. There’s really no need to do another fight because it’s really about Tokyo,” said MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons as quoted by The Manila Times.
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Olympic-bound Eumir Marcial's training has gained grounds thoroughly in the United States, as he continues to chase his goal of winning the first Olympic gold medal for the country.
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"'His goal is really to go for the gold," Ancajas said of Marcial. "In training, he give his all, and he is not abandoning it," he added. "'We do not know because it's a different play in the amateurs, but now we can say it's a unique Eumir they will see when the Olympics come."
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Marcial traveled to the US last year amid the pandemic to bolster his preparedness for the Olympic Games, and fought his professional debut in December with a unanimous decision win of shutout scores 40-36 in all three judges over American Andrew Whitfield.
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There was no schedule as to when will be his next professional fight and the Alliances of Boxing Associations in the Philippines (ABAP) is hoping Marcial can unite with the national boxing team now ongoing in its training camp in Thailand.
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Marcial is also expected to compete with his fellow future Olympians in the Asian Boxing Championships in New Delhi, India from May 21 to 31. In the 2019 edition in Bangkok, India won 13 medals at the event with two golds.
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Nine Indian boxers have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics during an amazing performance of the country during the Asian Olympic qualifiers at Amman, Jordan in March 2020.
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Ancajas assured the Filipinos that Marcial has been working hard in his preparations, and has been impressive in his showing. "May the Lord give him good condition. But if I'm allowed to describe Eumir now, his punches have vastly improved," said Ancajas.
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"Presently, I can say that all those who became Eumir's sparring partners there have tried to evade him," he added. "'They avoided him because his punches are too heavy."
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Ancajas, who successfully defended his IBF belt against Mexico's Jonathan Rodriguez, said their whole training camp is fully supportive of Marcial's quest to become the first Filipino to win an Olympic gold medal.
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"We will be with him whatever he wants. We would like to give him moral support," Ancajas explained. For us we will guide Eumir," he also said. "If in case, a problem arises, we give him advises."
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Ancajas also once aspired of competing and winning in the Olympics. He added that Marcial needs all the support and help he can get to bring the elusive gold medal to the country.
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"We will shower all the support for him, because really that opportunity seldom comes to our life," said Ancajas. "And I have seen on Eumir that he he is so determined and inspired. We know that Eumir really sacrificed a lot."
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"He did not travel back home, he stayed here to prepare and learn some technique, because he has lots of sparring partners here," he added.
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For Los Angeles Lakers, Anthony Davis has missed 26 games, while LeBron James missed 13 games. The team went well without Davis, but the Lakers are 6-7 in LeBron's 12-game absence, and are 2.5 games ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers as the fifth seed in the Western conference.
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The Lakers expect to have Davis back within 10-14 days, while LeBron could follow him in a return. Denver Nuggets, with guard Jamal Murray tearing his ACL, is a half-game ahead of the Lakers in the West, and if Davis and James could return in the next two weeks, they could lift the team to a home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
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But if Davis and LeBron are out a bit longer, the Lakers will risk falling down the standings. If they land on the sixth spot, that could arrange a first-round showdown against Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and the Los Angeles Clippers, which is not good for the two of them in the opening round.
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If they sink further to the seventh place, the Lakers would have to engage in the play-in tournament, that means adding more games before the playoff starts.
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Summer Olympics Top Ten All-Time Total Medal Standings
No. Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 United States (USA)1022-795-706-2523
2 Russia (RUS) 590-486-480-1556
3 Germany (GER)428-444-474-1346
4 Great Britain (GBR) 263-295-293-851
5 China (CHN) 224-167-155-546
6 France (FRA)212-241-263-716
7 Italy (ITA) 206-178-193-577
8 Hungary (HUN)175-147-169-491
9 Australia (AUS)147-163-187-497
10 Sweden (SWE)145-170-179-494
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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