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    COLUMN: It's no surprise Eumir Marcial is getting lucrative offers to turn pro

    Guy is good!
    Apr 12, 2020
    PHOTO: Jerome Ascano
    spin zone

    CHICAGO - Morton's The Steakhouse on 435 south La Cienega Boulevard in the heart of Beverly Hills, California is a go-to place where the rich and famous pamper their palates with high-end culinary delight.

    One September evening in 2006, Manny Pacquiao went to the swanky eatery to meet up with Richard Schaefer, the former CEO of Golden Boy Promotions.

    But the two gents didn't unite merely to satisfy a craving to lather fat, juicy steaks with black truffle butter. They were there for a transaction, one that involved 12,500 pieces of $20 bills.

    According to a Los Angeles Times story, Pacquiao received a suitcase bursting with $250,000 cash that night. In a deposition for a 2006 civil case lawsuit, per The Las Vegas Review-Journal, Freddie Roach claimed that the money was signing bonus to lure PacMan from Top Rank.

    Although he didn't do anything wrong or illegal, Pacquiao eventually returned the moolah to Oscar Dela Hoya's outfit and signed what would eventually become a long-lasting marriage with Bob Arum.

    Pacquiao was not necessarily motivated by greed when he entertained another promoter's overtures. Manny, now a sitting Philippine senator, simply wanted a taste of the prosperous fruits of free enterprise.

    Philippine amateur boxing sensation Eumir Marcial, a decorated pug who recently punched a ticket to the now postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, reminds me of Golden Boy's failed attempt to snare Pacquiao.

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    A couple of days ago, ABAP president Ricky Vargas revealed how "certain individuals and entities" are trying to lure Marcial into turning pro by dangling "tens of millions of pesos before even landing a punch."

    With the help of sources, I was able to secure Marcial's cellfone number last Thursday. I texted the 24-year old middleweight three times in three days. The goal was to fill in the blanks - the who, the when, and the how much surrounding the reported offers.

    All I got back was deafening silence.

    "Umiiwas na sir kasi sumabog na ang balita," (He's been avoiding since the news broke out)," an insider told me.

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      EASY MONEY. The thought of such serious, salacious amounts of cash which are rumored to being thrown around so cavalierly piqued my interest on Marcial. So I asked around.

      "Magaling talaga, kakaiba ang power," (He is really good. His power is something else) Joven Jimenez, the coach and trainer of IBF super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas told me. He said he has heard of Marcial since the kid was only 12 years young.

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      Edito Villamor is chief trainer of the vaunted ALA stable in Cebu. He saw Marcial strut his wares at the ALA Gym and also watched some of his fights on YouTube.

      "Great fighter," Villamor said. "He has good technique and I always believe in fighters who use their jab."

      So what's Marcial worth in the open market?

      "He can get a signing bonus for $200,000. Easy," said a U.S. promoter who chose to be anonymous given the sensitive nature of a situation concerning a national team fighter.

      With the full might of Manny V. Pangilinan's resources behind him, I'm sure Vargas can easily match whatever offer Marcial is getting from outside forces.

      But MVP and Vargas are honorable men dedicated to adhering to the rules of amateurism. They're not shady dudes who will show up on your door with a duffel bag heavy with cash.

      In a South China Morning Post feature last December, Marcial was described as a down-to-earth guy who would peel the shirt off his back for someone who'd need it more. A four-time gold medalist with a golden heart.

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      He collected and sold sand as a child, building character at a young age. He is grounded, I am told.

      Responsible.

      Meticulous.

      I'm praying for Marcial to, as Vargas says, "honor a promise to fight for his country in the Olympics."

      But I'm not holding my breath. And I'm prepared to be disappointed.

      Don't forget. We are talking about sleazy, dirty boxing right here. This is an arena where promise should not be misunderstood as commitment and that honor should not be mistaken as a virtue.

      When we were young, we were often told about eternal sunshine and endless blue skies. We can dream, for sure, but in pro sports, there is so much darkness and the bad guys win too often.

      What would Eumir Marcial do?

      What would you do if you were him?

      Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph

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      PHOTO: Jerome Ascano
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