When two Filipino boxers saw action in the semi-final of men’s boxing in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the Philippines got a 1-1 result.
Carlo Paalam, the most surprising by far, is off for a gold medal match after beating his opponent via unanimous decision in the men’s flyweight.
At the same time, Manny Pacquiao’s protégé Eumir Marcial suffered a close defeat over his Ukrainian foe via a split decision to settle for an Olympic bronze medal.
Despite not owning two wins in a day, Pacquiao made sure to commend both boxers on their job well done.
“Fight for Gold, Carlo Paalam! We are rooting for you. Thank you, Eumir Marcial, for giving your best! Your Olympic effort was solid gold.”
“The two of you make us very proud!” He wrote on his official Twitter account.
Marcial was heartbroken after the fight, but he vows to come back stronger and take the lessons from his defeat. Meanwhile, Paalam is proud of himself as he, at only 23-year old, is on the finals fighting for a gold medal for the Philippines.
Whether or not he will get the second gold, one thing is for sure, both Paalam and Marcial have a bright future ahead of them in the sports of boxing.
