OLYMPIAN Carlo Paalam delivered a golden performance at the Eindhoven Box Cup, outclassing England’s Abdul-Rahman Burton via unanimous decision at the Van Der Valk Hotel in the Netherlands on Monday night (Manila time).
The Tokyo Olympic silver medalist dominated the Under-55-kilogram final with a clean 5-0 scorecard (29-28, 30-27, 29-28, 29-28, 30-27), capping off a strong campaign in the international tournament.
“I am so happy because I trained so much and sacrificed a lot for this tournament. I’m grateful to the Filipino fans and everyone who supported me,” Paalam said in an interview with the Eindhoven Box Cup media.
The 27-year-old Filipino fighter advanced to the finals after edging France’s Binnami Billal, 4-1, in a tightly contested semifinal bout.
The victory serves as a major confidence boost for Paalam as he shifts his focus to the 2026 Asian Games, where he aims to finally capture his first gold medal after previously settling for bronze in 2018 and missing the podium in 2022.
“I will sacrifice again and prepare for the Asian Games. I’m very happy to win this tournament,” he added.
Paalam, who served as one of the Philippines’ flag bearers in the 2024 Paris Olympics, continues to build on his inspiring journey — from a former garbage scavenger in Cagayan de Oro to an Olympic medalist who ended a 25-year drought for Filipino male boxers at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
A two-time Southeast Asian Games champion, Paalam also missed the 2025 SEA Games after failing to make the lineup due to illness, making his Eindhoven triumph even more meaningful as he returns to top form. NICOLE ANNE BUGAUISAN
