2 Filipino boxers now assured of Olympic medals
(Eagle News) – Filipino boxer Eumir Marcial knocked out Armenia’s Arman Darchinyan in the first round of the men’s middleweight quarterfinals and thus entering the semifinals, already with a sure medal in the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday, Aug. 1.
With a right hook, Marcial sent his opponent Darchinyan face first on the floor canvas with just 49 seconds left in the first round. He is now assured of at least a bronze medal.
The 25-year old Marcial, who is also a member of the Philippine Air Force (PAF), will next fight Ukrainian world champion Oleksandr Khyzhniak on Aug. 5. A win would make him closer to his gold medal target.
With his win, three Filipino boxers are now assured of a medal in the Tokyo Olympics. Tomorrow, Tuesday, Aug. 3, boxers Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio will face their respective opponents in the ring.
Paalam will be in the quarterfinals 2 bout to face Uzbekistan’s Shakhobidin Zoirov who won the gold medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics in the flyweight division. Their fight is scheduled at 10:15 a.m. Philippine time at the Kokugikan Arena.
Petecio, on the other hand, will be facing Japan’s Irie Sena in the finals bout of the women’s featherweight division at 12:05 p.m. Philippine time. If Petecio wins, she will secure the second Olympic gold medal for the country at the Tokyo Olympics after weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz’s win last July 26.
(Eagle News Service)
