Philippines’ Carlo Paalam (red) and Algeria’s Mohamed Flissi fight during their men’s fly (48-52kg) preliminaries round of 16 boxing match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo on July 31, 2021. (Photo by Ueslei Marcelino / POOL / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines–Carlo Paalam moved closer to winning a medal after making the men’s flyweight quarterfinals of the Tokyo Olympics at Kokugikan Arena.
Explosive and on target, Paalam outclassed Mohamed Flissi of Algeria for the unanimous decision win.
The 23-year-old Bukidnon native put on a clinic and even wobbled Flissi with a crisp right hand in the third round.
All five judges scored the bout, 30-27.
Competing in his first Summer Games, Paalam fought like a grizzled veteran against a three-time Olympian in Flissi.
Flissi, 31, was the taller and lengthier fighter but it was the explosive Paalam, who set the tone with his aggressiveness.
With Paalam’s impressive win, two Filipino boxers are now in the quarterfinal round while women’s featherweight Nesthy Petecio, who is already assured of bronze, is in the semifinals.
Petecio, who needs only two victories to bag the gold, clashes with European champion Irma Testa later at 12:39 p.m.
