Marcial scores another KO to gain Olympic berth, shot at Asiad gold

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino Olympic bronze medalist Eumir Marcial is off to the Paris Olympics after advancing to the finals of the 19th Asian Games boxing competition with a second-round knockout win over Syria’s Ahmad Ghousoon Wednesday at the HZ Gymnasium in Hangzhou, China. 

Marcial, who also knocked out his opponent in the quarterfinals on Sunday, sent Ghousoon crashing into the canvas with a right hook.

The two exchanged blows in the second round, but Marcial clipped Ghousoon with the check hook to finish the match at the 1:49 mark.

Marcial will thus face China’s Tanglatihan Tuohetaerbieke in the gold medal match on Thursday. 

Tuohetaerbieke finished second in the men’s 80 kilogram division at the World Championships this year. 

Marcial is the fourth Filipino to qualify for the Paris Olympics, following pole vaulter EJ Obiena and gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan.