Eumir Marcial’s girlfriend says he is no Manny Pacquiao, but he’s the next big thing in Filipino boxing as he eyes Olympic glory
- His girlfriend and former boxer Princess Galarpe says the recent world championship silver medallist remains humble and focused
- They met when both were part of the national set up and have conquered difficult times to remain together
They had one small fish between them and no money in their pockets. Filipino boxer Eumir Marcial, being the gentleman he is, said to his girlfriend, Princess Galarpe: “I’m not hungry, you eat the fish.”
In their eight years together, Galarpe said she and the now-superstar fighter had gone through some difficult days – financially and emotionally – but their relationship has strengthened and he remains the same humble and gracious person she remembers when they first met as budding, teenaged boxers.
Galarpe has since left the sport to pursue her studies, having recently graduated with a degree in hospitality from the Liceo de Cagayan University in Mindanao. Marcial, with Galarpe at his side, has emerged as one of the best boxers in the Philippines and in September he earned a middleweight silver medal at the Aiba World Championships in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
He is favourite for the gold at this year’s Southeast Asian Games on home soil and is a genuine medal contender for his country at next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Galarpe said the boxer would always be looking out for her during their relationship, which she admitted experienced its ups and downs.
“He was very kind and simple and what he was like before is what is still like today,” Galarpe said. “Back then, he was not known and just like other couples, we experienced a lot of trials and challenges. There were times we had no money in our pockets. We couldn’t buy things, we couldn’t go to restaurants and couldn’t buy food.
“One day, we only had one fish. And he was like, ‘I’m not hungry, I’m full’ and he wanted me to have it. In fact, on many occasions he sacrificed for other people.
“So we’ve been through a lot in the past eight years; shaking relationship, misunderstandings, trials and challenges but by God’s will we are still together.”
Eumir, a former world junior amateur champion, had a humble upbringing, like millions of other Filipinos. Growing up in Zamboanga, as a youngster he would earn money by collecting sand from the beach and selling it at the market. He also worked as a jeepney driver before discovering boxing in his teens.
After his performance at the world championships, he is being talked about as the next big Filipino boxing star. For Galarpe, though, he will always be that simple and kind person she met eight years ago.
“In a good way, I don’t really consider Eumir to be someone who is really popular,” she said. “That’s because we have known each other almost eight years.
“A lot of people ask me what it’s like being the girlfriend of one of the best boxers in the Philippines and I’d say it is just so overwhelming. I feel so happy for him.
“I was in the national team as well previously and when we first met, what I saw was a boxer with a lot of potential.
“I didn’t think he would become what he is now but definitely I saw potential and that he would be somebody in boxing.”
Comparisons to Manny Pacquiao – an eight-division world champion who is regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers of all time – are inevitable. But Galarpe said Marcial, who may turn pro after the Tokyo Olympics, prefers to forge his own legacy.
“Manny Pacquiao is Manny Pacquiao,” she said. “No one could ever be like that and there will never be another Manny Pacquiao. Eumir will turn professional one day and he will build his own name and his own style and his own passion.”
Marcial first came to prominence in 2011 when he won gold at the world junior championships in Kazakhstan. He also won the Asian Youth Championships in 2013 before taking successive SEA Games gold medals in 2015 and 2017. He will be going after a third straight gold in front of home fans at November and December’s SEA Games in Manila.
A soldier with the Philippines Air Force, his performance at the worlds in September raised eyebrows when he reached the final, only to lose to local hero Gleb Bakshi 5-0.
While Marcial’s career is taking off, Galarpe is happy to be his biggest fan from the sidelines, though she has not ruled out a return to the ring.
“We met because of boxing, we would represent different provinces but we see each other during events and in the national set up,” she said. “He wanted us to someday build our own business. So I went to study in the hope of getting a good, stable job in the hospitality industry. But I still train, so you never know.”
