Paalam, Fajardo exit early in World Boxing Championships – BusinessWorld Online
FILIPINO Tokyo Olympics silver medal winner Carlo Paalam bid adieu to his World Boxing Championships medal bid after stumbling to Junior Alcantara Reyes, 4-1, in the round-of-32 of the men’s 55-kilogram class on Sunday in Liverpool, England.
The two-time Olympian from Cagayan de Oro had a slow, punishing start, recalibrated his approach by seizing the second round and then launched a desperate third-round barrage that fell short.
When it was over, Mr. Paalam won just one judge’s scorecard, 29-28, and lost the other four with two scoring it 30-27 and the other two 29-28.
It was in stark contrast to Mr. Paalam’s magnificence in a first-round drubbing of Hsu Chiao Chun of Chinese Taipei a few days ago.
Another Philippine bet shown the door was Mark Ashley Fajardo, who was overwhelmed by Ukrainian Evin Aliiev, 5-0, in the men’s 65kg section.
It came a day after Junmilardo Ogayre’s exit following a stinging loss to Kazakhstan’s Biibars Zhexen in the men’s 60kg division.
These left three Filipinos standing, including Mark Ashley Fajardo, who was still battling France’s Makan Traore in the men’s 70kg category Monday.
The other two remaining are Riza Pasuit (women’s 60kg) and Jay Bryan Baricuatro (men’s 50kg), who will get into the ring later. — Joey Villar
