Redemption is at hand for the Philippines’ Carlo Paalam after the Tokyo Olympics silver medalist made short work of Greece’s Alexei Lagkazasvili 5-0 in the 57kg division on Friday, May 24 that launched his bid in the second Paris Olympics Boxing Qualification on a bright note at the Hua Mak Indoor Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
A jab-straight that quickly found its mark was Paalam’s introduction to the Greek and dictated the condition of the one-sided fight which served as a virtual scrimmage for the Talakag, Bukidnon native.
Showing no ill signs of the right shoulder injury he suffered during the first World Qualifiers in Busto Arsizio, Italy last March which derailed his early quest for a second Olympic berth, Paalam ran rings around his opening opponent, staying fresh for his next fight against Turkmenistan’s Shukur Ovezov on May 28.
Up next for Team Philippines on May 25, Saturday is Rogen Ladon who takes on Rafael Serrano Lozano of Spain in the 51kg class.
Unable to go further against Ovezov in the first qualifier after getting slammed to the canvas by Mexico’s Andrey Bonilla during their round-of-32 bout, Paalam abandoned the round-of-16 bout with the Turkmen after fighting with only one hand, and immediately went into rehab in preparation for the second qualifier.
“Ipagpapatuloy ko ang aking labang sinimulan,” said Paalam, who lost in the gold medal bout in Tokyo to Great Britain’s Galal Yafai in 2021. “Maraming salamat po sa lahat ng inyong patuloy na suporta at sa iba kong kasamahan.”
Marcus Manalo, secretary-general of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP), was elated at Paalam’s recovery.
“Very good start for Carlo. It’s great to see him back from the shoulder injury,” Manalo said. “Coincidentally, his next opponent will be the Turkmen whom he lost to due to injury in the 1st World Qualifier in Italy. But he’s in good shape for now and moving very well.”
ABAP coaches Ronald Chavez and Elmer Pamisa, who trained Paalam as a youth in Cagayan de Oro City, said the fight plan worked to perfection.
“Maganda yung ginalaw ni Carlo. Nasunod nya yung plano,” said Chavez, who competed in the 1992 Olympiad in Barcelona. “Yung unang jab-straight pa lang nya, nakita kong mako-control nya ang laban.”
Pamisa echoed the observation: “Nag-work yung surprise attacks ni Carlo and maganda ang mga patama nya.”