Paalam adjusts to new weight

MANILA, Philippines — A change in weight divisions has led Tokyo Olympic flyweight silver medalist Carlo Paalam to chase a gold medal as a featherweight in men’s boxing at the coming Hangzhou Asian Games. Since the Asian Games are a qualifier for Paris, weight classifications were tweaked to conform to the new Olympic standards.

In Hangzhou, the weight categories are for men, flyweight (51kg), featherweight (57kg), lightwelterweight (63.5kg), lightmiddleweight (71kg), lightheavyweight (80kg), heavyweight (92kg) and superheavyweight (+92kg) and for women, lightflyweight (50kg), bantamweight (54kg), featherweight (57kg), lightweight (60kg), welterweight (66kg) and middleweight (75kg). The same classes are in the Paris joust with 13 gold medals at stake like in Tokyo but the difference will be one less men’s class and one more women’s division in the coming Olympics.

At the SEA Games in Cambodia this year, Paalam bagged the bantamweight (54kg) gold. From Tokyo to Cambodia to Hangzhou, Paalam has moved from 52kg to 54kg to 57kg. Tokyo Olympic middleweight bronze medalist Eumir Marcial is in a similar situation since the 75kg class has been removed from Hangzhou and Paris. Marcial will now battle in the 80kg lightheavyweight division. Tokyo Olympic featherweight silver medalist Nesthy Petecio remains in the same weight. The others in the Philippine boxing team to Hangzhou are for men, flyweight Aaron Jude Bado, lightwelterweight Mark Ashley Fajardo, lightmiddleweight Marjon Pianar and heavyweight John Marvin and for women, lightflyweight Aira Villegas and bantamweight Irish Magno.

Paalam, 25, said he has adjusted to the new weight class. “Noong una, ramdam ko ang bigat ng sparring,” he said. “Iba ang power sa 57kg pero