Carlo Paalam gets a chance to end the Philippines’ 16-year Asian Games boxing gold drought when he faces Japan’s 22-year-old hometown favorite Rui Yamaguchi in the men’s 55-kilogram final Friday at Nishio Gymnasium.
Paalam, 28, reached the gold medal round after beating Kazakhstan’s reigning world champion Makhmud Sabyrkhan by a 3-2 split decision Wednesday, assuring the Philippines of at least a silver medal.
A victory in the 12:15 p.m. bout (Philippine time) would give the Philippines its first Asian Games boxing gold since Rey Saludar won the 52-kilogram division at the 2010 Guangzhou Games.
It would also give Paalam his first Asian Games silver or gold after winning bronze in Jakarta in 2018 and falling in the quarterfinals at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.
‘You can’t say what will happen in the ring. I’ll just give my best,’ Paalam said in Filipino after beating Sabyrkhan, whom he previously defeated at the 2022 Asian Elite Boxing Championships.
Paalam, a Tokyo Olympic silver medalist, is coming off a long injury layoff entering the Asian Games.
Yamaguchi, meanwhile, switched from kickboxing to boxing in middle school and won Japan’s national championship at 51 kilograms in 2024 before moving up to 55 kilograms with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in mind.
The 2026 Asian champion at 55 kilograms also competed at last year’s World Boxing Championships and reached the final with three 5-0 victories.
Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines president Marcus Manalo said Paalam, the last boxer standing in Aichi-Nagoya, has the experience and speed advantage against the highly touted Japanese, who has the edge in height and reach.
‘It just really depends on who will be able to execute the competition plan,’ he also said. ‘But I’m sure Carlo will be up to the challenge.’
Paalam is one of several remaining chances for the Philippines to increase its gold medal haul with two full days of competition left before Sunday’s closing ceremonies.