AFTER RECEIVING byes in the first round, three Filipino boxers kickstarted their 2024 Summer Olympic campaign in grueling matches against the world’s best.
In heartbreaking fashion, Eumir Marcial and Hergie Bacyadan conceded unanimous decision losses in their respective fights. Meanwhile, Carlo Paalam rose to the occasion for Team Philippines, besting Ireland’s Jude Gallagher. The round of 16 phase was held yesterday at the North Paris Arena in Seine-Saint-Denis, France.
Eumir Marcial
Commencing the round of matchups for the Philippines was Marcial, who faced Uzbekistan’s Turabek Khabibullaev in the Men’s 80kg division. Early into the match, Khabibullaev utilized his height advantage, forcing Marcial to miss on heavy swings and long-distance connections. Although the Zamboanga native found success in short distance exchanges, his inability to find range cost him the opening round in the scorecard of all judges, 9-10.
The next two cantos followed a similar trajectory, with the Uzbekistan representative successfully keeping Marcial at bay with his jab. In round two, the former Olympic bronze medalist dropped another 9-10 round in all scorecards except for one that favored him 10-9.
Desperate to keep his medal bid alive, Marcial pushed the pace in the final round. However, his more aggressive offensive display would come too late with the leading Khabibullaev switching to a defensive approach.
Frustrated with the maneuvers of his younger foe, Marcial was prevented from landing a knockdown to sway the decision into his favor. The Filipino boxer conceded the match via unanimous decision, consequently ending his 2024 Olympic campaign.
Hergie Bacyadan
Making his Olympic debut in the Women’s 75kg division, Bacyadan faced a tall order in the form of two-time medalist Li Qian from China. Through the decision of the International Boxing Association, Bacyadan still qualified for the division due to not undergoing any hormone replacement therapy.
The opening salvo saw Bacyadan overwhelmed by Qian’s left jabs, which led to a 10-9 advantage for the top-ranked Chinese powerhouse.
Bacyadan’s predicament carried on to the second round, as the boxer remained defenseless against Qian’s potent one-two punch combo. In a bid to retaliate, the Tabuk native tried to crack through the 5’10” fighter’s frame but could not find any openings, forcing him to stay on the defensive throughout the canto.
In the final round, Bacydan attempted to turn the tide with his sweeping overhand rights, steadily chipping away against Qian’s form to rack up more points. Despite the aggressiveness, the Filipino boxer was unable to close the gap, resulting in a unanimous decision for Qian.
Carlo Paalam
The Philippine contingent’s last match of the phase featured a clash between Paalam and Gallagher in the Men’s 57kg division. From the onset, Paalam matched the Irish youngster blow for blow to secure three nods in the first round scoring.
In the second round, the 5’4” boxer identified numerous opportunities to tag Gallagher with his hook punch. Despite failing to land a portion of them, Paalam came out victorious in the second frame due to his aggressive play.
Ahead in the scorecards, Paalam found a perfect opportunity to further showcase his speed and agility in the last round. Pressured to trim his deficit, Gallagher hunted for hits on the 26-year-old Paalam.
However, the Filipino boxer consistently dodged Gallagher’s attacks, while dishing out plenty of his own. The Tokyo silver medalist’s impeccable performance resulted in a unanimous victory for the Philippines and a ticket onto the quarterfinals.
In his quest for Olympic glory, Paalam will have a chance to directly clinch a medal with a win on Saturday, August 3, at 9:46 PM in the same venue.
Scorecards:
Marcial vs. Khabibullaev: 28-29, 28-29, 28-29, 27-30, 28-29
Bacyadan vs. Qian: 27-30, 27-30, 27-30, 27-30, 27-30
Paalam vs. Gallagher: 29-28, 30-27, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28
