Will Carlo Paalam finally pick up a gold medal in the upcoming Paris Olympics?
At first glance, no one would take Carlo Paalam as a boxer. After all, the diminutive fighter from Cagayan de Oro City is not an imposing presence anywhere he goes.
Paalam is quiet in public. And if he speaks, one will need to get closer to hear him clearly.
But who needs a clear and loud voice if he could let his game do most of the talking anyway?
The unassuming fighter instantly becomes a beast whenever he steps into the ring. Just ask his previous foes.
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For the uninitiated, the 25-year-old is a bemedalled Filipino pugilist who used to be a garbage scavenger back in his hometown.
From collecting scraps, Paalam has been pocketing medals one competition after another now. Paalam is a SEA Games gold winner and an Asian Games bronze winner.
But there’s one thing he has yet to acquire: an Olympic gold.
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He would have another crack at it soon in Paris 2024. But before that, here’s a lookback on his journey to greatness:
2021 - Almost is never enough
Paalam was probably a few lethal blows away from that feat in Tokyo.
After suffering a knockdown early in the opening round against Galal Yafai in the gold-medal match, Paalam landed better punches in the next two rounds but they weren’t enough to convince the judges to award him the win.
The Brit pocketed the gold mint via split decision.
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2023 - The Olympic gold dream continues
By this time, Paalam had already established himself as a favorite in the 54kg division.
He lived up to expectations and dominated the field in the SEA Games in Cambodia on the way to his second straight gold in the regional meet.
When the Asian Games came, Paalam moved up in weight and fought as a featherweight but was unsuccessful.
The Filipino failed to medal after a loss to Uzbek world champion Abdumalik Khalokov via unanimous decision.
Still, Paalam was unperturbed and carried on with his journey.
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2024 - Quest for gold continues
His quest to punch a return trip to the Olympics started rough, though, no thanks to a shoulder injury.
He made the last 16 of the first World Qualification Tournament but was forced to withdraw owing to the injury he sustained in his split decision win against Mexico’s Andrey Bonilla.
Eventually, Paalam qualified by virtue of their highest standings in his weight category in the 2nd World Qualification Tournament in Bangkok, where he trounced India’s Sachin Sachin in the semifinals of the men’s 57-kg category.
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With Paalam now having a shot at the coveted gold medal, the question remains: will he finally get his hand on that in the upcoming Paris 2024?
Story summary:
- Despite his unassuming presence and quiet demeanor, Carlo Paalam has become a notable Filipino boxer. From humble beginnings as a garbage scavenger in Cagayan de Oro City, the 25-year-old has amassed medals in various competitions, including a SEA Games gold and an Asian Games bronze. His ultimate goal remains winning an Olympic gold medal.
- In the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Paalam came close to winning gold but lost to Galal Yafai in a split decision. In 2023, he defended his SEA Games title successfully but did not medal at the Asian Games after moving up to the featherweight division and losing to Abdumalik Khalokov. Despite these setbacks, he remains determined to achieve his Olympic dream.
- Paalam faced challenges, including a shoulder injury, in his quest to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics. He was forced to withdraw from the first World Qualification Tournament but secured his Olympic spot through the second World Qualification Tournament in Bangkok, where he defeated India's Sachin Sachin in the semifinals of the men’s 57-kg category. Now qualified, he aims to finally win the coveted Olympic gold in Paris.
[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital team. The summary was generated by AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]