Carlo Paalam is one fight away from ending a 16-year wait for Philippine boxing gold at the Asian Games, after outboxing a reigning world champion on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old Filipino used precision and composure to overcome Kazakhstan’s Makhmud Sabyrkhan, earning a 3-2 split decision and a place in the final.
Paalam, the last boxer standing from the Philippine team in Japan, can now turn the Olympic silver he won in Tokyo into Asian Games gold.
He entered Nishio Gymnasium as the underdog against a formidable opponent. Sabyrkhan won the 2023 International Boxing Association world title and was named World Boxing’s Best Boxer in 2025.
But Paalam had beaten him before, in the 2022 Asian Elite Boxing Championships in Jordan.
Wednesday’s rematch carried much higher stakes.
With Philippine boxing still seeking its first Asian Games gold since 2010, Paalam had little room for error. Sabyrkhan pressed forward, but Paalam picked his shots, kept his composure, and did enough to sway the judges.
The scorecards were split. The verdict was his.
One win now separates Paalam from the Asian Games title and another major prize in Japan, where he announced himself on the Olympic stage with a silver medal.
This time, he has a chance to leave with gold.
