Team Philippines’ Carlo Paalam sees action in the Asian Games 2026 men’s boxing 55kg competition. –POC MEDIA POOL
MANILA, Philippines — Carlo Paalam earned a shot at an Asian Games gold medal after edging Makhmud Sabyrkhan of Kazakhstan by split decision, 3-2, in the men’s 55kg boxing semifinal on Wednesday at Nishio Gymnasium in Aichi, Japan.
Both fighters split the first two rounds, but it was the Tokyo Olympics silver medalist who prevailed, eking out the world champion from Kazakhstan to advance to his first-ever Asiad finals.
Two judges scored 29-27 in favor of Paalam, who was slapped with a one-point deduction but still got the nod, while Sabyrkhan got 30-26 and 29-27 wins from the other two.
Paalam has a chance to deliver the country’s first boxing gold at the continental showcase since Rey Saludar’s 2010 Guangzhou men’s 52kg flyweight triumph.
“Please po support me,” Paalam said after the win. “Sana po pagdasal niyo kami at sana makuha natin yung gold medal soon po.”
The 28-year-old Paalam fights for gold on Friday against home bet Rui Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi beat Mongolia’s Bilguunsaikhan Kharkhuu by unanimous decision in the other semifinals match.
Paalam was the last Filipino boxer fighting for a medal. He opened his campaign with split-decision wins over India’s Jadumani Singh Mandengbam and Jiamao Zhang in the quarterfinal.
He already surpassed his bronze medal run in the 2018 Asiad and redeemed himself from a quarterfinal exit in the Hangzhou Games three years ago.