Marcial displays heart to stop Hart
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 11 Apr 2022
If there was ever a doubt on Eumir Marcial’s toughness, nobody can now deny his heart. At the Virgins Hotel in Las Vegas yesterday morning (Manila time), the Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist roared back from three knockdowns to halt Peruvian Isiah Hart at 0:47 of the fourth round in a scheduled middleweight sixer.
Marcial, 26, planned to showcase his boxing skills but falling behind on points after going down once in the first round and twice in the second, went for broke in hammering Hart until referee Raul Caiz, Jr. called a stop to the carnage. A left hook to the jaw wobbled Hart and as he staggered several steps backward to find refuge on the ropes, Caiz waved it off.
Hart, 30, surprised the crowd by dropping Marcial with a right straight in the opening round, using his length to penetrate the Filipino’s southpaw defense. Marcial fell flat on his back. It didn’t seem like the punch packed a lot of power but Marcial seemed unsteady in staying balanced. He got up more embarrassed than hurt and when the bell sounded, Hart was on the defensive. Despite the knockdown, the three judges Dave Moretti, Ricardo Ocasio and Don Trella scored it 10-9, not 10-8 for Hart because of Marcial’s comeback.
In the second round, Marcial launched a blistering two-fisted attack. Then, in a flash, Hart landed a counter right hook that decked Marcial. This time, Marcial appeared hurt and backed off from engaging to clear his head. Hart dropped both hands to invite Marcial forward, hoping to throw another counter. Before the bell rang, Hart did it again, using a right hook to floor Marcial. With the two knockdowns, the judges scored the round 10-7 for Hart.
Desperate to turn things around, Marcial came out smoking in the third and banged away at Hart’s body. Hart backed off, retreating from Marcial’s heavy artillery. Finally, Marcial won a round as the judges had it 10-9 for the Filipino. In the fourth, Marcial continued the bombardment. Marcial trapped Hart in a corner before unleashing the left hook that turned the Peruvian’s legs rubbery. Marcial trailed on the three judges scorecards, 29-26, when Caiz stepped in.
Former two-time world champion Gerry Penalosa said while it looked like a premature stoppage, Caiz intervened to save Hart from further punishment. “As boxing fans, we would’ve liked to see Hart on the canvas,” he said. “But papunta na rin doon kaya tinigil na lang ng referee at hilo na si Hart.” Penalosa said Marcial will continue to improve but at some point, must decide whether to focus on the pros or amateurs.
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