Asian Games 2023: Eumir Marcial scores 2nd round knockout to secure men's 80kg Paris 2024 boxing quota
The Filipino lefty puts Syria's Ahmad Ghousoon in pain to punch his way to a spot at next year's Olympic Games.
Boxing
First came the devastating right. Then came the tears.
Eumir Marcial of the Philippines knocked out Syria's Ahmad Ghousoon in the second round of the men's 80kg semi-finals at the the Asian Games 2023 to secure a a Paris 2024 boxing quota on Wednesday (4 October).
The Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist ended the fight with 1:49 left in the second round with a pulverizing right hook to Ghousoon, who could bear no more.
As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.
Marcial - who openly wept in joy after the match - had Ghousoon on his knees with a body blow earlier in the round before hurling the winning shot that put a period in the contest.
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Eumir Marcial: "I'm going to the Olympics again"
Marcial said he had doubts about qualifying for Paris because of the change to the boxing programme, which reduced the number of male weight categories from eight to seven.
As a result, the middleweight went up from the 75kg used in Tokyo to 80kg for Paris.
“It means a lot for me because when I’m in the US, I’m preparing my professional fight and I told myself maybe I cannot make the Olympics because there’s no more weight class at my weight anymore,” Marcial said as the emotions poured.
“I moved up to 80kg but I’m very small at 80kg. The first person that would believe me and trust me is my wife so she pushed me, gave me inspiration and told me that you can make it.
“And here I am - I qualified for the Olympics.”
Marcial just came up short in Tokyo two years ago, losing a split decision to eventual silver medallist Oleksandr Khyzhniak in the semi-finals.
The Filipino fighter is determined to pick up in Paris the gold medal that he left behind in Tokyo.
“When I was young, I always dream to win a gold medal in the Olympics,” Marcial said. “I win bronze in Tokyo, almost win the gold, but this time I have a lot of time to prepare, to get strong - and to win gold in the Paris Olympics.
“It’s for my wife, for myself, for my country, for my father - because I’m not here right now without my father. He trained me, he pushed me to join boxing.
“Here I am, I’m going to the Olympics again.”
Also obtaining a spot in the middleweight at next year's Olympic Games was the People's Republic of China's Tuohetaerbieke Tanglatihan who beat Turabek Khabibullaev from Uzbekistan 4-1.
From the 51kg, Thitisan Panmot of Thailand squeezed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea So Chonryong 3-2 to earn a berth in Paris while Uzbeki Hasanboy Dusmatov fought off Japan's Tsuboi Tomoya 4-1 for his place at the Games.
Abdumalik Khalokov of Uzbekistan unanimously defeated the host country's Lyu Ping to secure a quota in the 57kg along with Harada Shudai of Japan, who wrested a 3-2 split decision from Thailand's Juntrong Rujakran.
The evening cards saw the last two women obtain a spot for Paris out of the 66kg category.
Suwannapheng Janjaem (Thailand) forced the referee to stop the contest in the third round against Kazakhstan's Natalya Bogdanova while Yang Liu of China reached Thursday's gold-medal bout after coming out ahead in a split decision vs Chen Nien Chin.
Two more gold for China
Wednesday produced five gold medallists including three women - Pang Cholmi of DPR Korea (54kg), China's Yang Wenlu (60kg) and Li Qian (75kg).
On the men's side, Mongolia won their first gold of these Games when Baatarsukh Chinzorig outclassed Lai Chu En of Chinese Taipei in the 63.5kg final.
Japan's Okazawa Sewon won the 71kg by default after Lai's compatriot Kan Chia Wei pulled out. Thursday's six matches are all finals and will mark the end of the boxing competition.