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Eumir Marcial has 80% chance to win Olympic gold, says Ricky Vargas
Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (ABAP) President Ricky Vargas is confident that Eumir Marcial will deliver a podium finish when he competes at the Tokyo Olympics next year.
In an online forum with the Philippine Sportswriters Association on Tuesday, Vargas said Marcial may just be the man to win the Philippines' first Olympic gold medal.
Marcial punched his ticket
to the Olympiad after winning the gold medal in the qualifiers last March."I think Eumir has 90 percent chance to bring home a medal, and 80 percent chance to bring the gold. That's very good enough," he said.
READ: Eumir Marcial vows to fight for Olympic gold despite offers to turn pro
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The ABAP president also has high hopes for Irish Magno, who claimed a slot in Tokyo after winning her box-off bout in the qualifiers.
"Looking at the determination of Irish even during the pandemic, she has more than 50 percent chance of getting a medal," Vargas said.
According to ABAP, at least three boxers are still in the running for a spot in the games next year, including world champion Nesthy Petecio.
Vargas hopes that competitions will return early next year, saying that the boxers "lost steam" in the run up to their qualifiers as the sports world is put into a halt.
"This is our best chance," he said. "I don't think in ABAP history if we have this number of boxers that can qualify to the Olympics and have a chance to win a medal in the Olympics."
Originally scheduled from July 24 to August 9, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics has been postponed due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The Games has been moved to July next year. —Justin Kenneth Carandang/MGP, GMA News