Philippines, 19 Jul 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


The fighting five


PhilBoxing.com




You can’t say enough about the fighting heart of the five Philippine boxers who qualified for the Paris Olympics. Lightheavyweight Eumir Marcial was first to book a ticket by making it to the final of the Asian Games in Hangzhou last October. Then, lightflyweight Aira Villegas and featherweight Nesthy Petecio got their passes at the first World Qualifying Tournament in Busto Arsizio, Italy last March. Finally, featherweight Carlo Paalam and middleweight Hergie Bacyadan secured their entry at the second World Qualifying Tournament in Bangkok last week.

Marcial, Paalam and Petecio competed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with each landing a podium finish. Paalam and Petecio were a win short of a gold while Marcial claimed a bronze. They could’ve rested on their laurels and just enjoyed the lavish incentives as Olympic medalists but resisted the temptation to work even harder for a second Olympic trip. In Paris, Marcial and Paalam are moving up in weight because their divisions in Tokyo have been scrapped. Marcial fought in the middleweight (75kg) class in Tokyo and is now in the lightheavyweight (80kg) division. Paalam was a flyweight (52kg) in Tokyo and will battle as a featherweight (57kg) in Paris. Petecio is a constant at featherweight (57kg).

Villegas will fight as a lightflyweight (50kg) and Bacyadan as a middleweight (75kg) in Paris. When Villegas bagged a bronze at the 2019 SEA Games, she was a bantamweight (54kg) so the drop in weight is significant. Villegas, 28, was a long-shot for Paris. She was eliminated in the preliminaries at the Asian Games last year but swept her three assignments at the Boxam International Tournament in Spain last February then won three in a row at the first World Olympic Qualifiers to nail a slot to Paris.

Bacyadan, 29, was even a longer shot. She traversed from wushu to boxing to vovinam and back to boxing for a chance to make it to Paris. Bacyadan, who idolizes Canelo Alvarez, never took a medal at the SEA or Asian Games but surprisingly, barged into the Asian Boxing Confederation semis in Amman in 2022. She rejoined the ABAP squad for tournaments in Australia and Spain this year. Bacyadan was bundled out in the prelims at the first World Olympic Qualifiers but proved her worth by winning three straight for a Paris ticket at the second World Olympic Qualifiers.

Petecio, 32, is a former world champion with two SEA Games golds in her collection. Like Paalam, she took a silver at the Tokyo Olympics and vowed to return to the Games for another shot at the gold. Petecio nearly ended her boxing career over a personal issue before 2019 but kept faith in God to pursue her journey to the top. Paalam, 25, was a scavenger as a boy and took to boxing as a way out of poverty at the age of seven in Cagayan de Oro. He was recruited by coach Elmer Pamisa to train with Gov. Oscar Moreno’s pool of youth athletes and in Paris, they’ll be together in going for gold.


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


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Usyk Registers Career-Heaviest Weight as Dubois Looks Ready for Undisputed Rematch at Wembley
    , Sat, 19 Jul 2025
  • Rodriguez vs. Cafu Unification Clash Set for Frisco, Texas; All Fighters Make Weight
    By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 19 Jul 2025
  • LOPEZ VS. VARGAS WEIGHTS FROM PECHANGA RESORT CASINO
    , Sat, 19 Jul 2025
  • “Bambol” Tolentino in Las Vegas: Supporting Filipino Athletes and Pacquiao
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Unstoppable: Team Philippines Storms Into Davis Cup Finals After Qatar Sweep
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Blu Girls Stumble Against Taipei, Look to Regroup vs. Hong Kong
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Fighting for clean sweep
    By Joaquin Henson, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • WBA No. 2 Heavyweight Contender Michael Hunter Is Ready to Take on World Champion Kubrat Pulev; All Systems Go for Purse Bid Winner Don King
    , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Weights from Panama City; WBA Women's Interim Superfly Title at Stake
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Undefeated prospect Pryce Taylor Working hard to join Brooklyn’s Elite list of top heavyweight boxers
    , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Justin Goossen-Brown Set to Make DAZN Broadcasting Debut This Friday at Boxlab Promotions’ Night of Champions in Orlando
    , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Philippine Davis Cup Team Sweeps Kuwait to Stay Unbeaten in Group IV
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Pacquiao Promises Surprise Against Barrios
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • PACQUIAO VS. BARRIOS UNDERCARD MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES
    , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Rosaupan rules Pasay rapid chess championship
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Blu Girls Fall to China in Nail-Biter, Slip to 5–2 in Asia Cup
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • The 19th Thousand Island Cup Philippine Xiangqi Open tournament on August 3
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Pacquiao’s Legacy in Motion: PacMan contra El Azteca
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Thu, 17 Jul 2025
  • Blu Girls Crush Singapore 13-0, Set Sights on China in Asia Cup Showdown
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 17 Jul 2025
  • Laylo, Dableo to play in Baguio Open
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 17 Jul 2025
  • Pacquiao Shines in Final Press Conference: Can The Pacman Defeat Father Time and Barrios? (Analysis & Prediction)
    By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 17 Jul 2025
  • More lucrative fights await Manny Pacquiao
    By Leo Reyes, , Thu, 17 Jul 2025
  • Rumors about Pacquiao-Mayweather rematch
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Thu, 17 Jul 2025
  • Tapales, Laurente to help Inoue against MJ
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 17 Jul 2025
  • AL BERNSTEIN, CHRISTY MARTIN AND ERIC BOTTJER TO SERVE AS ALL-STAR COMMENTARY TEAM FOR THIS FRIDAY’S ‘LOPEZ VS. VARGAS’ EVENT
    , Thu, 17 Jul 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.