By MARK REY MONTEJO
Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Carlo Paalam bowed out of contention after yielding to Dominican Republic’s Junior Alcantara, 4-1, in Round of 32 of the 2025 World Boxing Championships in Liverpool, England over the weekend.
In the battle between two Summer Games podium finishers, the 27-year-old pride of Bukidnon showed flashes of brilliance early but the younger and faster
Alcantara came out the better fighter, thus earning the judges’ nod – 30-27, 30-27, 29-28, 28-29, 29-28 – in their men’s 55kg class duel.
It was a disappointing show for Paalam especially after coming off a dominant win over Taiwanese Hsu Chiao-Chun, 5-0, in the opener.
Also not fortunate were Mark Ashley Fajardo (men’s 65kg) and Junmilardo Ogayre (men’s 60kg) who absorbed similar 5-0 beating at the hands of Ukraine’s Elvin Aliiev and Kazakhstan’s Biibars Zhexen, respectively.
With Paalam’s exit, the challenge to keep the PH flag afloat now fell on Riza Pasuit, Ronald Chavez Jr., and Jay Bryan Baricuatro.
The three fighters will go for quarters slots in their respective events against equally experienced rivals.
Fresh off a splendid outing against Pagad Alnaimi of Saudi Arabia in the previous stage, the 32-year-old Pasuit looks to extend her brilliance against Brazil’s Rebecca Santos in their Round-of-16 clash Tuesday, Sept. 9.
It would be a tough task for Pasuit with the 24-year-old Santos being the younger and taller.
Chavez, meanwhile, had a split 3-2 decision victory over Irish Matthew McCole in the Last 16.
The 26-year-old boxer is expected to go all out against French Makan Traore Monday, Sept. 8, with the winner entering the men’s 70kg quarterfinals Wednesday, Sept. 10, at the same venue.
Chavez, whose father and uncle were Olympic boxers, aims to perform well against Traore, a bronze medalist in the 2023 European Games.
Aside from Pasuit and Chavez, Baricuatro challenges Martin Molina of Spain in Round-of-16 men’s 50kg clash also set on Wednesday.
Molina has an im[ressive resume being a gold medal winner in the 2022 Euro joust and a bronze in the 2023 world championships.
