SEAG: Eumir Marcial bags lone gold for PHL boxing team

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Eumir Marcial saved the Philippine national boxing team from a disappointing Southeast Asian Games campaign after claiming the delegation’s lone gold medal on Dec. 19, 2025, at the Chulalongkorn University Sports Center in Thailand.

After his fellow Filipino boxers failed to stand in the middle of the podium, the former Olympic bronze medalist walked his talk, delivering a clinical performance to defeat Indonesia’s Maikhel Muskita, 4-1, in the men’s 80-kilogram grand finals.

Fresh off a semifinal knockout victory over Vietnam’s Manh Cuing Nguyen, Marcial picked up where he left off but had to adjust in the middle of the fight due to the Indonesian’s reach advantage.

Marcial immediately cut Muskita’s desired hitting distance in Round 1, using his quick footwork to pin the challenger to the ropes, which put him in several uncomfortable situations.

During a wild exchange, Marcial gained a boost on the scorecards after landing two sweet hooks to Muskita’s jaw, followed by a well-timed body shot to close the opening round on a high note.

However, the Indonesian came back in the second round, banking on his jabs to halt Marcial’s hounding pressure as he moved forward for three straight minutes.

Marcial was able to crack Muskita with a lead left hook in the final minute of the round, but a four-punch combination helped the Indonesian restore order and gain the nod of the judges for a 1-1 deadlock.

It all boiled down to the third and final round to settle the score, and Marcial knew he had to close out the gold medal fight with a sense of urgency. He did exactly what was on his mind, not allowing Muskita to relax for a second of the championship minutes.

Marcial leaned on his brute strength and reverted to his first-round strategy of pinning the Indonesian to the ropes, setting the tone for the third round.

No matter what in-and-outs Muskita tried to get away, Marcial smelled blood—rushing into the Indonesian’s uncomfortable space and turning a stand-up fight into a grueling and physical slugfest with short pocket uppercuts and power punches.

After the three-round affair, Marcial and the PHL boxing delegation were pleased to hear the 4-1 unanimous decision result, capping off the 2025 SEA Games edition as the only Filipino to win a gold medal.

Mabuhay ka, Eumir!