PARIS, France – Eumir Marcial has expressed no regrets and offered no excuses following his heartbreaking defeat to Uzbekistan's Turabek Khabibullaev in the Round of 16 of the men's 80kg boxing division at the 2024 Paris Olympics on early Wednesday.
Despite the loss that dashed his hopes of matching or surpassing his bronze medal finish in Tokyo three years ago, the 28-year-old boxer reflected on his journey and the sacrifices he made. He admitted facing physical and medical setbacks during his preparation but refused to use them as an excuse for his defeat.
"I'm devastated and at a loss for words. It's a tough loss; I do not know how to explain this loss to all the Filipinos," Marcial said in an emotional social media post hours after the bout. "It's a difficult place to be in; no one really prepares to lose. But like I said, there's no excuses. The people know that it has always been my absolute dream to win the gold medal at the Olympics not just for myself, for my family, but most especially, for the Philippines."
Marcial shared that he put his professional career on hold to focus on the Olympics. His last professional fight was in March, where he defeated Thoedsak Sinam of Thailand. Despite the setback, Marcial is determined to use this experience as motivation.
"But no regrets still, I know God has a bigger purpose for this loss. I may not understand it now, but I need to trust that it was God's protection to keep me safe from any further potential injury," he added.
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