Following in Garcia’s footsteps
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 01 Jan 2025
Marcial (L) and Mindoro (R).
Ceferino Garcia remains the only Filipino ever to reign as world middleweight boxing champion and ruled from 1939 to 1940. The Biliran slugger who invented the “bolo punch” defended his title once, scoring a 13th round knockout over Glen Lee at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum on Dec. 23, 1939.
Since Garcia’s reign, no Filipino has come close to following in his footsteps----until now. MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons is excited about Eumir Marcial and Weljon Mindoro scaling the 160-pound ladder to earn a shot at the world title.
Marcial, 29, is well-known in boxing circles as a four-time SEA Games gold medalist, Asian Games silver and bronze medalist and 2020 Olympic bronze medalist. He turned pro in 2020 but his career has been interrupted by forays back into the amateur ranks. Now, it appears Marcial is focused on the pros where his record is 5-0, with three KOs. Gibbons said Marcial is expected back in the US for training in January.
Mindoro, 24, isn’t as heralded as Marcial but he’s quickly making a name for himself. The Zamboanga del Sur bomber is training at Gibbons’ Knuckleheads gym in Las Vegas. Mindoro stands 5-11 and has a 72-inch reach. His record is 13-0-1, with 13 KOs. In May last year, Mindoro battled Takeshi Inoue to a split 12-round draw at the Okada Hotel and has since racked up three straight wins, excluding a Dubai exhibition that ended in a fourth round stoppage of Australian Joel Camilleri a few weeks ago.
A devastating puncher, Mindoro has found it difficult to find willing opponents in the US. Last July, Mexican Mahonn Montes backed out and Tyler Goodjohn was brought in as a late replacement only to be decked thrice enroute to losing by a second round knockout in Plant City, Florida. A few months later, Puerto Rican Marcos Osorio Betancourt withdrew and Brazilian substitute Lucas de Abreu was blasted into submission at 0:22 of the third round in Kissimmee, Florida. Mindoro is emerging as the Filipino version of Jake LaMotta, the Raging Bull.
“Mindoro is a big, big prospect at 160,” said Gibbons. “The guy just came over and did some incredible stuff in the US and Dubai. The three, four wins he’s had shows his development. He’s got a chance to become the first Filipino world middleweight boxing champion since Ceferino Garcia. The kid’s got a bright, bright future.”
Gibbons said Mindoro and Marcial are cut of the same mold. “They’re comparable right now because Eumir’s been out of the ring since the Paris Olympics,” he said. “I still lean with Eumir because of his experience and all the stuff he’s done in the amateurs but they’re both right there. I think they’ll be challenging for world titles in 2025 or 2026.”
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 20: MUHAMMAD ALI VS. JOE FRAZIER III ON OCTOBER 1, 1975 AT THE ARANETA COLISEUM
By Maloney L. Samaco, Thu, 16 Oct 2025Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimán: History of Boxing in Reynosa, Tamaulipas
By Mauricio Sulaimán, Thu, 16 Oct 2025YORK HALL PRESS CONFERENCE: EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID AS CONWAY AND LIDDARD GET SET FOR HUGE DOMESTIC CLASH
Wed, 15 Oct 2025Unbeaten Super Featherweight Contender Andres Cortes Set for Return on October 18 Against Derlyn Hernandez-Geraldo in Long Beach
Wed, 15 Oct 2025JOEL “LETHAL” LEWIS RETURNS NOV 28TH THUNDERDOME 52 – METRO CITY PERTH
Wed, 15 Oct 2025Shane Mosley Sr. Blasts Oscar De La Hoya of Blocking Son’s Title Shot, Calls for Trilogy Fight on Drew & Pris Uncensored podcast
Wed, 15 Oct 2025MASOUD vs McGRAIL HEADLINES BLOCKBUSTER MONTE-CARLO SHOWDOWN VI CARD ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6 – LIVE ON DAZN
Wed, 15 Oct 2025WFM Mendoza seizes lead in 2025 FIDE World Youth Chess Championship
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 15 Oct 2025YOENLI HERNANDEZ KNOCKS OUT RAMON DELACRUZ SENA IN FIRST ROUND OF MAIN EVENT OF FISTS OF FURY 8
Wed, 15 Oct 2025BEN WHITTAKER TITLE SHOT CONFIRMED WITH PRESS CONFERENCE THIS FRIDAY
Wed, 15 Oct 2025GOLDEN BOY ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP TO BOOST AMATEUR TALENT IN CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO
Wed, 15 Oct 2025SHANNON RYAN: I'M READY TO BRING 'KAOS' TO YORK HALL THIS WEEK
Wed, 15 Oct 2025Nikita Tszyu Health Update
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Wed, 15 Oct 2025THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 13 OCTOBER 2025: Ennis Wipes Out Lima; Vianello Defeats Barriere; Makhmudov Outpoits Allen
By Eric Armit, Tue, 14 Oct 2025Omar Juarez Set for Homecoming Clash Against Omar Rosario on October 18 i
Tue, 14 Oct 2025