Paalam goes for gold

NAGOYA – From the six-gold sweep of Manila in 1954 to Rey Saludar’s last stand in Guangzhou in 2010 – Philippine boxing has owned this stage before. It just hasn’t in 16 years.

There were Manfredo Alipala in 1962, Rodolfo Arpon in 1966, Ricardo Fortaleza in 1970, Roberto Jalnaiz in 1990, the triumvirate of Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco, Elias Recaido Jr. and Reynaldo Galido in 1994, and Violito Payla and Joan Tipon in 2006.

Then came the drought.

Now, Carlo Paalam is one win away from joining that list.

He climbs the ring this afternoon at the Nishio Gymnasium with one thing in mind.

“I will give my best,” he said.

Last man standing, one win from history. Paalam, 27, the Tokyo Olympic silver medalist from Bukidnon, fights Japan’s Rui Yamaguchi for the men’s 55kg gold, with a chance to end the Philippines’ 16-year wait.

Paalam must give it his best as he’s fighting no ordinary fighter.

Yamaguchi, 22, brings a wealth of recent ring experience into the gold medal bout, having tallied an impressive string of decision victories across the World Boxing Cup and Asian Boxing Elite Championships throughout 2026.

With youth, momentum, and the roaring Nagoya home crowd on his side, Yamaguchi is poised to be a massive test for the Filipino veteran.

Yamaguchi earned his finals berth with a commanding 5-0 unanimous decision over Mongolia’s Bilguunsaikhan Kharhuu. Ranked No. 2 at 55kg after rising from No. 5 this year, the No. 1 seed in Ulaanbaatar came in with a silver from Astana and a bronze from the World Boxing Cup Finals.

But there’s no turning back for Paalam.

After an early Paris Olympics exit, after the long process to recover psychologically, after a cut that forced a stoppage at the world championships, after missing the SEA Games, Paalam is determined to go for gold.