MANILA, Philippines — 2020 Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Carlo Paalam kicked off his 2026 Asian Games campaign on a strong note, overcoming a spirited challenge from India’s Jadumani Singh Mandengbam via majority decision in the men’s 55-kg boxing event on Saturday at Nishio City in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.
With the hard-earned victory, the 28-year-old Filipino boxer stands just one win away from assuring himself of at least a bronze medal.
The bout opened with the 22-year-old Indian pugilist taking early control of the ring and cornering Paalam.
However, with under 30 seconds left in the opening frame, Paalam showcased his veteran ring generalship by pivoting out of the corner and unleashing a series of punches to sweep the first round on all judges' scorecards.
Mandengbam continued to press the action in the second round, causing Paalam to slip at the 1:43 mark.
Paalam quickly recovered and answered with a high volume of punches to take the second round on three of the five scorecards.
Facing a 0-2 deficit entering the final round, Mandengbam came out aggressively searching for a knockout, but the orthodox Filipino stayed patient, connecting with a left hook and timely jabs to defend his lead and seal the win.
