THE LAST time Carlo Paalam faced Turkmenistan’s Shukur Ovezov last March in Italy, the Filipino had to withdraw in the second round due to a shoulder injury.
On Tuesday night, the Tokyo Olympics silver medalist settled the score.
In full strength, the 25-year-old Cagayan de Oro-born scored an impressive unanimous decision victory that sent him to the round-of-16 in the second World Boxing Qualification tournament to the Paris Olympics in Bangkok, Thailand.
Mr. Paalam was clinical against Shukur Ovezov in their men’s 57-kilogram division bout.
That set the stage for a showdown with Armenian Artur Bazeyan, who survived a feisty Yousef Iashash of Jordan, 3-2.
The International Boxing Association (IBA) will offer prize money to all Olympic champions and medalists at this year’s Paris Games, the body announced on Wednesday.
“Paris gold medalists in the boxing tournament will receive a substantial financial reward of $100,000. Out of this amount, the athlete will receive $50,000, their National Federation will receive $25,000, and their coach will receive $25,000,” IBA president Umar Kremlev said in a statement.
This will be one of three victories Paalam would need to claim a seat to the Paris Games in July and join fellow boxers Eumir Marcial, Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas.
Paalam is one of the last two Filipinos standing with the other being Hergie Bacyadan, who stayed in the Olympic hunt in the women’s 75kg category. – Joey Villar
