HANGZHOU—Carlo Paalam squares off with a reigning world champion from Uzbekistan as he seeks to advance to the medal round of the men’s boxing competitions at the 19th Asian Games on Tuesday.
Paalam, Olympic silver medalist in Tokyo, and Uzbek Khalokov Abdumalik clash in a 57-kg quarterfinals duel at 7:30 p.m. at the Hangzhou gymnasium.
Paalam disposed of Uulu Munarbek Seiitbek of Kyrgystan, 4-1, in the round-of-16. Seiitbek, 27, was a bronze medalist in the this year’s world championship in Tashkent.
Now, Paalam will have to go through no less than the gold medal winner in Tashkent in a bid to join light fellow Olympic medalist Eumir Felix Marcial, who’s in the semifinals of the light heavyweight class following his second round knockout victory over Thailand’s Weerapong Jongjoho on Sunday night.
“Almost everyone in my class are tough boxers,” said Paalam, 25.
Head coach Ronald Chavez, however, likes Paalam’s chances.
“Carlo can beat the Uzbek,” said Chavez, unmindful of the fact that Paalam is the shortest in his division.
Paalam clinched silver in Tokyo as a flyweight but has to move up in weight in his bid to return to the Olympics. The 54 kgs division is out of the Paris program.
Marcial shrugged off anxious moments in the opening round to score the stirring knockout of JongJoho with 14 seconds remaining in the second round.
Marcial is now assured of bronze in the 80 kgs class and has a shot of advancing in the gold medal round should he get past Ahmad Ghousoon of Syria in Wednesday’s semifinals.
