PHNOM PENH — Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Carlo Paalam lived up to his lofty billing while Paul Julyfer Bascon also made waves Saturday in the boxing competitions of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games.
Paalam posted a unanimous decision win over host bet Sao Rangey in their 54 kg match while Bascon likewise registered a similar result in the 60 kg class opposite Aung Soe Moe of Myanmar for a terrific start to the Philippines’ quest.
Paalam suffered a cut midway through the third round but it didn’t distract him from getting the job done.
His next outing will be against Malaysian Daelionel McDelon.
“The wound I got was only small so I just went on and played my game,” Paalam said.
Bascon said he was confident right at the get-go that he would advance.
“As early as the first round, I know I would win as I was able to go in and out of my opponent’s range,” Bascon, a 25-year-old from Mindanao, said.
In the last SEA Games in Hanoi, the Philippines placed third overall behind perennial champion Thailand (4-2-2 gold-silver-bronze) and second-placer Vietnam (3-2-2) with a collection of 3-1-5.
