Eumir Marcial knocked out Arman Darchinyan of Armenia in the quarterfinal round of the men’s middleweight division at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Sunday.
Marcial knocked out Arman Darchinyan of Armenia in the quarterfinals of the men’s middleweight class at the Kokugikan Arena with a well-timed right-handed hammer.
From the start, Marcial unleashed a slew of different combinations. He managed to stun Darchinyan after the first minute and push the referee to a standing count.
However, the 25-year-old did not waste any time in finishing off the Armenian with a body shot combo and a right hook to the head.
The fight lasted only two minutes and eleven seconds, as the Filipino boxer knocked out his Armenian opponent with 49 ticks remaining in the first round.
With the resounding victory, Marcial advanced to the semifinals, ensuring him at least a bronze medal regardless of the outcome.
Marcial continues to live up to his status as one of the country’s top gold medal favorites after winning back-to-back opening round matches in his inaugural Summer Games campaign.
The Zamboanga native will now focus on the next round, where a win over Oleksandr Khyzhiak of Ukraine on Thursday, August 5, will advance him to the gold medal match for a chance to make history.
Whether he wins or loses, Marcial has ensured the Philippines’ best Olympic performance in 97 years.
The Filipino boxer received a bye to begin his Olympic career in the round of 16.
Marcial defeated Younes Nemouchi of Algeria in the round of 16 last Thursday by referee stoppage in the first round.
Marcial won a silver medal in the 2019 World Championships, a gold medal at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, and a gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Asian and Oceania Olympic qualifiers.
With one gold from Hidilyn Diaz in weightlifting and a guaranteed silver from Nesthy Petecio in the featherweight division, Marcial’s assured bronze has given the country a three-medal finish in the Olympiad, surpassing the 1932 Los Angeles Games contingent, which included Jose Villanueva (boxing), Teófilo Yldefonso (swimming), and Simeon Toribo (athletics).