Philippines, 18 Sep 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Tribute to Paalam


PhilBoxing.com



Paalam (R) in action against Britain's Yafai.

Tokyo Olympic flyweight boxing gold medalist Galal Yafai, a Britisher of Yemen descent, recently paid tribute to the Filipino whom he beat in the final and said Carlo Paalam deserved his place on the podium in a guest column published in the Aug. 12 issue of the London weekly trade magazine Boxing News.

Yafai said the tide turned when in the first round, he dropped Paalam. Before the knockdown, the fight was nip and tuck with both boxers battling on even terms. Yafai continued to put pressure on Paalam in the second stanza then coasted in the third which the Filipino took in the five judges’ scorecards. Paalam’s late rally went for naught as Yafai won by a 4-1 split decision.

“Paalam beat the Olympic champion Shakhobidin Zoirov (so) he deserved his place in the Olympic final,” wrote Yafai, a two-time Olympian. “How I handled him, it just showed on my day I can beat the best and I’m glad to prove that in the last fight of my amateur career. In the first round, I put Paalam down and I was thinking, what’s going on here? I’m in the Olympic final and I just put his guy down. This is crazy. And I thought, you know what, I’m going to try and stop him, stop him in the Olympic final. It’ll look great on television, everyone’s going to think I’m brilliant.”

But Paalam wouldn’t quit and fought back courageously. By no means was it an easy win for Yafai. From conjuring visions of a knockout, Yafai was quickly brought back to earth. “I thought he’s come back into it now,” said Yafai. “I better slow down, don’t tire myself out. I’ve got to stick to the gameplan so I made sure I won the second round and I did. So I cruised in the last round and knew I’d won at the final bell.”

Boxing News writer John Dennen said Yafai started with intensity. “The Birmingham southpaw closed in on Paalam who cracked heavy counterpunches across,” wrote Dennen. “But Galal was too much, he exerted too much pressure, clattering in combinations of punches and working his lead right into the body. In the first round, he forced Paalam to the ropes and hammered a heavy straight one-two through. The left cross connected and dropped the Filipino to the canvas. It was the perfect start. Paalam changed his approach in the second round, knowing he had dropped the first. He held his ground and flung punches back, meeting Yafai on his own terms. But the Briton found the target with quality shots, fine lead uppercuts hitting home and he fired his left through to the head.

“Ahead on the cards, Yafai had to manage the final round. Calmer and more mobile, Yafai moved off with his gloves up. Paalam, increasingly anxious, tried to smash his hardest punches through. But any errors from Yafai were only minor. He hit, he moved and he saw out the round. Paalam had a great run of victories in this tournament, including unanimously outscoring Japan’s Ryomei Tanaka, brother of Kosei Tanaka, a three-weight titleholder, in the semifinal.”

Olympic coach Tony Davis said Yafai was his pick as the best boxer in Tokyo. “He was unseeded, came through an array of styles from formidable opponents,” said Davis. “What Galal did was nothing but a demonstration of excellence in Olympic boxing.” Yafai was spectacular in leading the British boxing squad that hauled in two gold, two silver and two bronze medals. For an Olympic rookie, Paalam was impressive in claiming the silver medal. Yafai will turn pro while Paalam sets his sights on improving his craft with an eye on the gold in Paris in 2024.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • “Thrilla” card takes shape
    By Joaquin Henson, , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • Wishing Best to Jayson Vayson in his World Title Challenge!
    By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • Vayson aims to make history
    By Joaquin Henson, , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • KAIPO GALLEGOS TRAINING CAMP NOTES
    , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • Day Two of 2025 USA Boxing National Open Delivers 108 Action-Packed Bouts in Tulsa
    , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • Bryce Mills Boxes James Bernadin At del Lago Resort & Casino On Thursday, Oct. 30, in Waterloo, NY
    , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • Caribbean Clash Returns Friday, November 7th at Gulfstream Park Casino in Hallandale, Florida
    , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • VM Sotto, City Council Recognize GM Joey Antonio
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • Larida is Southern Coach of the Year
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • D.C. Knockout Artist Scooter Davis Signs Promotional Contract with Top Rank
    , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 15 SEPTEMBER 2025: Crawford Snatches Canelo's Undisputed Crown at 168 Lbs; Inoue Defeats Akhmadliev to Retain 4 Superbantam Belts; Crocker Outpoints Donovan
    By Eric Armit, , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • TICKET NEWS: EUBANK JR-BENN II ON SALE FROM THIS WEDNESDAY
    , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • “Night of Champions” Returns to Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando on September 19
    , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • Canelo-Crawford: The Consolidation of Boxing’s New Commercial Empire
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • A New Era for Boxing: Canelo vs. Crawford Shatters Global Viewership Records on Netflix
    By Dong Secuya, , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • Crawford Not the First Lightweight to Distinguish Himself at Super Middleweight
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • Kurt Scoby and Josh Popper Headline Boxing Insider Card September 19 in Times Square
    , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • Green and Gold 2025: Amateur Boxing’s International Gathering in Bolivia
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • Pakistan's Sameer Khan Set to Battle for UBO Youth World Title in Brico Santig’s Sep 27 Show in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • SAMBO Pilipinas is Southern NSA of the Year 2025
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • Kingsley “The Black Lion” Ibeh To headline historic “Legacy Nights” Inaugural Pro Boxing event in El Salvador
    , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • Smarts over power
    By Joaquin Henson, , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • HALL OF FAME FLIES FLAGS AT HALF-STAFF FOR TWO-DIVISION CHAMPION RICKY HATTON
    , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • Kazakhstan tops the medal table at the inaugural World Boxing Championships 2025 thanks to victory in the final bout of the competition
    , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 13: JOE FRAZIER’S HUMBLE BEGINNINGS AS AN AMATEUR FIGHTER
    By Maloney L. Samaco, , Mon, 15 Sep 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.