Paalam one win away from Paris

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino Carlo Paalam outsmarted Jose Luis delos Santos Feliz of the Dominican Republic via unanimous decision last night in the second World Boxing Qualification to the Paris Olympics to move a step closer to a return trip in the quadrennial Games.

Paalam used his experience to overwhelm Delos Santos Feliz, whom the former beat by drawing the nod of all five judges – three scoring it, 29-28, and the other two, 30-27 – and advance to the semifinals.

There, the Tokyo silver winner will clash with dangerous Indian Sachin Sachin, who edged Frenchman Samiel Kistohurry in a 4-1 split decision.

A win would book Paalam a ticket to the French capital where has a chance to claim the medal that slipped away in the Tokyo Games – the Olympic gold.