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The Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (ABAP) objected to comments made by recently converted professional boxer Eumir Felix Marcial that allegedly put the association in a bad position.
“I don’t understand what Eumir is complaining about. Despite our pleas for him to start fighting as a professional after the Olympics, he decided to embark on a professional career at this stage. We wanted to help him transition, but he refused our offers to help him in that process, “ABAP president Ricky Vargas said in a statement on Wednesday.
Vargas and ABAP Secretary General Ed Picson said they originally intended to help Marcial make the switch to professional boxing to help his family financially.
“Mr. Vargas and I spoke with him several times during the confinement telling him that we would propose to the promoters that they sign him up and pay him his multi-million dollar signing bonus, but allow him to fight in the Olympics first, before participating in his first professional fight. “Picson said.
“We reached out to one of the serious promoters, the American Hall of Fame winner [promoter] Shelly Finkel, and he agreed. Even Senator Manny Pacquiao, who eventually signed it, issued statements saying he believed Marcial should focus on the Olympics, “he added.
Marcial, who recently arrived in Los Angeles to train with famed coach Freddie Roach, said he felt “abandoned” by ABAP as he prepares for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
“I wanted to be with [ABAP coaching consultant] Don [Abnett] in my training in the United States, that’s why I applied for the ABAP if I could be with him, along with [head] coach Ronald [Chavez]. [ABAP] He said ‘let’s wait and see’. Two weeks, three weeks, there was no decision, so I went alone to the United States, “Marcial said in Filipino on Tuesday.
Without the two requested coaches, Marcial headed to Los Angeles alone, while concentrating on his quest to give the Philippines their first Olympic gold.
“Probably ABAP’s feelings got hurt or whatever reason they have been that way since I turned pro. But since last year, I’ve been telling them that I intend to turn pro and that I wanted them to be on my side. despite turning professional. My main focus was the Olympics as I could fight there despite being a professional, “added the 24-year-old middleweight.
Marcial also accused ABAP of not giving him a concrete plan for the past two months, and mentioned that he had been waiting for them to make a move, but allegedly did not.
Regarding the request that Abnett and Chávez join Marcial in the United States, Picson claimed that it was Marcial himself who told him that the Philippine Sports Commission told the boxer that the agency would allow them to join him there, without subsistence allowance.
“Which makes a lot of sense,” according to Picson, “since the PSC pays these trainers to work with the National Team for amateur boxing, not for the professionals. And how would other boxers feel if they were denied? the services of two of our best trainers because they had to attend to a professional boxer? “
Picson also said Australian Abnett offered to train Marcial daily at his Cavite residence at ABAP’s expense, but alleged the boxer did not respond to Abnett’s calls and texts.
ABAP also said they sent him training equipment and a pocket WiFi device to help him with his training online, but he allegedly did not show up for any sessions.
Vargas said that “after all that was said and done, ABAP did everything possible to support Marcial because we know that he would be an asset to our campaign in the Olympic Games. And we assure him over and over again that he is willing and able when come the Olympics around, we will include it in our lineup. “
The boxer announced that he will go into the next few months with uncertainty since budgetary problems may arise. Initially, he planned to use some of the earnings he would have made from the Olympic qualifiers as his budget to help him with his training costs.
“I took the gold in the Asian qualifier, I am an Olympian now but I never got any amount in those victories. But I said, this is all a motivation to persevere and get the first Olympic gold in the country,” recalled Marcial.
In response, Vargas said that while cash incentives were not required, they would give some to their fighters.
“Fans are supposed to compete for the flag and the country. Ask athletes from other sports and other countries. But ABAP always gives. On the other hand, these are challenging times, so we are still getting funding for that. I hope be patient. ” We will give you money. We even wrote to PSC to update their & [Irish] Magno’s diets after qualifying ”, clarified the president of ABAP.
Marcial’s Olympic season could also have a big impact, as he needs an endorsement from ABAP in order to compete in Tokyo.
However, Marcial mentioned that he continues to feel the support of everyone around him as he begins training for the Summer Games.
“Many Filipinos, most of whom I do not know, tell me that they trust that I will get the gold. My family is still there, and my fiancee, Princess, who is also a boxer,” said Marcial.
