OLYMPIC medalists Carlo Paalam and Aira Villegas are leading the charge for the Philippine national boxing team as they prepare for the 2025 World Boxing Championships.
The prestigious event is scheduled to take place from September 4 to 14 at the Liverpool Arena in Liverpool, England.
The prestigious event is scheduled to take place from September 4 to 14 at the Liverpool Arena in Liverpool, England.
Paalam, a silver medalist at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, will compete in the men’s 55kg division.
He is joined by Villegas, who secured a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics and will headline the women’s team in the 51kg category.
The pair, along with their support staff, departed for Sheffield, England, to kick off an international training camp.
The group includes former SEA Games’ medalist Riza Pasuit (women’s 60kg), team consultant Don Abnett, coach Reynaldo Galido, and physical therapist Paolo Reynoso.
Another key member, Ronald Chavez Jr., is expected to join the team in England once his visa is approved. He will represent the Philippines in the men’s 70kg division.
While a core group trains in the UK, other members of the eight-boxer squad are also honing their skills overseas.
Jay Bryan Baricuatro (men’s 50kg) and Junmilardo Ogayre (men’s 60kg) are currently in a separate training camp in Xinjiang, China.
Meanwhile, Asian U22 bronze medalist Mark Ashley Fajardo (men’s 65kg) and Ofelia Magno (women’s 48kg) recently concluded their training in Bangkok, Thailand, and will not be joining the overseas sessions.
This World Championships will serve as part of the boxers’ preparations in their bid to participate in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
