HANGZHOU, China – Boxing head coach Ronald Chavez swears Eumir Marcial is a sure money bet when he goes up against Syrian Ahmad Ghousoon in their 80-kilogram semis showdown on Wednesday, Oct. 4, in the 19th Asian Games here.

The former PH stalwart said the style of the Syrian fighter is to the liking and advantage of the 5-foot-11 Marcial, saying: “Laging palusob ang Syrian kaya yung gusto ni Eumir. Dyan siya magaling.”

That was Chavez said after Marcial, a bronze medal winner in the Tokyo Games, scored a sensational second round knockout win over SEA Games champion Weerapon Jongjoho of Thailand on Sunday at the Hanzhou Gymnasium here.

Fighting like a windmill machine, Marcial sent the 2021 World Championship bronze medal winner to the canvas with a thunderous right hook with barely 14 ticks left in the second round of their explosive quarterfinal encounter.

“Tinitignan ko ang oras, sabi ko one minute, at alam kong lamang sya sa first round, so sinubukan ko at binigay ko ang lahat. Yun lumabas ang resulta,” said Marcial, who whooped it up like a kid who had just received his first Christmas gift from a godfather.

The win did not come easy for Marcial as he survived a standing 8-count after the taller Thai fighter jolted him with a blasting right.

“Kinabahan ako dun kasi nahilo ako pero hindi ako nagpahalata. Alam kong yun ang malakas nya at kita niyo naman ang laki nya,” said the amiable warrior from Zamboanga City.

Unless Marcial, 27, will be hit by a “Sunday punch,” the pride of Zamboanga is in for smooth ride going into the final where a trip to the Paris Games awaits to the winner.

Well, that will Marcial’s added inspiration when he trades punches with the Syrian who pounded out a 5-0 win over Shabbos Negmatulloev of Taijikistan in an entertaining match.

But expect Marcial’s fight with the Syrian to more intense since a chance for a gold medal is at stake.