PH middleweight boxer Eumir Marcial wins gold

KUALA LUMPUR — (UPDATED) Eumir Felix Marcial earned the Philippines' first boxing gold of the 2017 Southeast Asian Games following a dominant performance in the final of the 75-kg (middleweight) division on Thursday afternoon at MiTEC's Hall 8 here.

Marcial, who won gold as a welterweight back in 2015 in Singapore, was aggressive right from the start, as he repeatedly peppered Thailand's Pathomsak Kuttiya with punches to the head from the opening bell.

Eumir Felix Marcial (right) of the Philippines dominated Pathomsak Kuttiya of Thailand to win the gold medal in the middleweight division in Southeast Asian Games boxing in Kuala Lumpur Thursday. PSC/POC pool

Kuttiya managed to keep in step with Marcial in the opening round, but the Filipino's heavy blows began to take their toll in the second round. In the third, Marcial secured the victory by landing a vicious left straight that forced the referee to give the Thai a standing eight-count.

Marcial got all the judges' nod for a 5-0 victory, to go home with his second SEA Games gold.

"Hindi rin ako nag-kumpyansa, kasi siyempre Thailand 'yan, No. 1 na kalaban ng Pilipinas (sa boxing)," said Marcial. "Parati lang ako nag-iisip, tinitingnan ko 'yung video niya, at sa ring ko na lang ina-apply."

Author: Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News
Full Article: http://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/08/24/17/sea-games-ph-middleweight-boxer-eumir-marcial-wins-gold