Already assured of a silver medal, Filipino boxer Eumir Marcial advanced to the finals of the 19th Asian Games men’s middleweight (80kg) division with a dominant second-round knockout win over Syrian boxer Ahmad Ghousoon on October 4, 2023 at the Hangzhou Gymnasium in Hangzhou, China.
Marcial delivered the knockout blow in the second round, when he landed a powerful left hook that sent Ghousoon to the canvas. As much as Ghousoon tried to stand-up the blow was too strong for the Syrian boxer to recover, forcing the referee to stop the fight.
You can watch the whole sequence below;
It’s over! Eumir Marcial is through the fonals of the 80kg mens boxing! pic.twitter.com/PitzATF1jW
— Ria Arevalo (@_riaarevalo) October 4, 2023
With the win, Marcial is guaranteed at least a silver medal in the Asian Games. He will face China’s Tuohetaer Erbieke in the final on October 6, 2023, for a chance to bring home the Philippines’ first gold in Asian Games boxing in over a ten years.
Marcial’s victory also qualified him for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. He has already secured a berth in the Olympic qualifying tournament, but a gold medal at the Asian Games would give him an automatic spot in the Olympics.
Marcial will join pole vaulter EJ Obiena, gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
