BY TITO S. TALAO
TOKYO — Flyweight Carlo Paalam added a guaranteed bronze Tuesday to the Philippines’ medal haul in the XXXII Olympiad.
More significantly, the pride of Cagayan de Oro, who used to scavenge for recyclable materials for subsistence, brought down an Olympic champion.
Paalam scored a technical split decision victory over 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics gold medalist Shakhobidin Zoirov of Uzbekistan in their 48-52kg quarterfinals at the Kokugikan Arena here after an accidental head clash with 1:44 remaining in the second round left both boxers sustaining bloody cuts.
Four judges had Paalam leading in the abbreviated quarters 20-18, while a fifth, from Tunisia, had the fight tied 19-all before it was stopped.
Paalam goes for a place in the semifinals against Japan’s Ryomei Tanaka on August 5 at 1:30 p.m. (Manila time).
Tanaka won his quarterfinal bout, a non-stop punching duel, with Columbia’s Yuberjen Herney Martinez Rivas 4-1.
The Kazakhstan referee motioned Paalam first for examination by the ring physician, followed by Zoirov, before calling off the fight, which Zoirov’s corner protested understandably since Paalam had won the first round 5-0.
Undefeated in all his fights in Rio, Zoirov fell on his knees when the winner was announced and immediately left without going through the customary handshake at mid-ring.
“Hindi ko na po ininda ‘yung tama ko eh, gusto ko na lang talaga manalo,” said Paalam, who joined boxing teammates Nesthy Petecio (featherweight) and Eumir Felix Marcial (middleweight) to the podium round.
Petecio is to fight for the country’s second gold medal in the 54-57kg division later in the day, while Marcial, already assured of the bronze, goes for berth in the final on August 5.
“Magaling din po ‘yung kalaban ko eh, may experience din talaga. Sabi nga nila 50/50 daw, pero nagbigay lang ako ng tiwala sa sarili ko, at nakinig ako sa mga coaches ko. Salamat po sa motivation,” said Paalam, a product of CdO Mayor Oscar Moreno’s weekly Boxing in the Park program where national coach Elmer Pamisa eventually took him under his wings.
Zoirov proved to be a moving target in the first round, but Paalam, backing out and moving in, repeatedly caught the unbeaten Uzbek with right straights that threw him off his rhythm, resulting in a 5-0 decision.
Paalam was up even before the bell for the second round, meeting squarely the southpaw Zoirov’s mounted challenge to level the score before the head collision took place in the midst of a ferocious exchange.
“Pilit po nya akong kinukuha sa first round, pero sabi po ni coach Ronald (Chavez, the men’s team head mentor), dapat makuha mo yung first round para sila ang ma-pressure sayo,” said Paalam.
His speed and precision, said Paalam, served him well against an older and vastly more experienced opponent who mirrored his style and whose left-handed stance presented a daunting task for the many-time Palarong Pambansa and Philippine National Games champion.
“Pareho po kaming nagkakagatan sa laro. Binabasa niya rin po ‘pag pumasok ako, parang doon siya kumukuha ng bwelo. ‘Pag pumasok naman sya, doon naman po ako makakatama sa kanya. Parang pareho kami ng diskarte, matamaan nang mabilis,” he said.
Paalam admitted to having the wind extinguished from him after absorbing a blow in the breadbasket in the second round.
“Nahirapan din po ako sa kanya dahil kaliwete siya eh, may experience, at magaling talaga. Parehas lang talaga kami ng galawan pero idinaan ko po sa bilis,” Paalam said.
“Kanina po, natamaan ako sa tiyan. Parang inilalabas nya talaga ‘yung hangin ko.”
