Three PH boxers hope to turn quarterfinal triumphs into gold medal berths

Carlo Paalam of the Philippines (in blue) fights against Taiwan’s Tu Powei (in red) in their men’s light fly (49kg) round of 16 boxing match at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta on August 27, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / BAY ISMOYO

JAKARTA—Philippine boxing started out with a whimper but shoots for a kick-ass finish on Friday when three pugs look for victories that will assure the Philippines of silver medals in the 18th Asian Games here.

Carlo Paalam, Rogen Ladon and Eumir Marcial climb the Jakarta International Expo ring riding big quarterfinal wins, but Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines secretary general Ed Picson is warning his charges of complacency.

“Of course, their foes are also talented; they’re all in the semis just like them,” Picson said. “Our boys will have to take the fight to them, not be overconfident.”

Ladon takes first crack at a gold medal match berth when he slugs it out with Thailand’s Yuttapong Tongdee in the flyweight class at 2:15 p.m. (3:15 p.m. in Manila) before Paalam tangles with India’s Amit at 6:15 p.m. in the light fly division.

Marcial drew Uzbekistan’s Israil Madrimov in the middleweight bracket’s final four, slated to go off at 7:45 p.m.