TOKYO - After a long and tumultuous buildup that took him from Manila to Vegas to Zamboanga to Dubai, Eumir Marcial is right where he wants to be, eager and ready to fulfill a lifelong dream.
On Thursday at around noon, the controversial middleweight climbs the ring for the first time at the Tokyo Olympics, a heavy favorite to beat Algeria's Yeones Nemouchi in a round-of-16 clash at the Kokugikan Arena.
Marcial was the meat of conversation for much of the boxing team's Olympic buildup as he decided to turn pro, signed with Manny Pacquiao's promotional outfit then had a brief but very public spat with the national boxing association.
Unlike his tumultuous buildup, Marcial took on a low profile since arriving in this city, mingling only with fellow athletes while focusing on his shot at an Olympic medal - a dream he wants to achieve before embarking full time on a pro career.
As the No. 4 seed in his division which he earned through a body of work that included three SEA games titles, a junior world championship and a silver in the 2019 world champoionship, Marcial needs only two wins to reach the medal rounds and four to win the gold medal.
In contrast, his compatriot Irish Magno needed a comprehensive win over Kenya's Christine Ongare to get in the same position as Marcial in the round-of-16, where she takes on Thai rival Jutamas Taipong.
Last-minute replacement
While Marcial looked destined for the Olympics from a very young age, his opponent Nemouchi didn't get to Tokyo until the last moment after being tapped as a replacement for a teammate who fell ill just days before the African qualifier in Dakar, Senagal last year.
Well, he is making the most of the opportunity. The 27-year old beat Uganda's David Ssemujju to get a shot at Marcial.
Marcial need not look far to be reminded that last-minute replacements are dangerous. His new boss, Pacquiao, was one when he burst into the world boxing scene by taking down Lehlo Ledwaba 20 years ago.
If he is not careful and gets cocky, the 25-year old may suffer Ledwaba's fate and ruin what until now is a perfect 4-for-4 start for the boxing team behind victories by Magno, Carlo Paalam, and semis-bound Nesthy Petecio.
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