The Philippine Boxing Team delivered one of its strongest international performances in recent years after capturing four gold medals during a successful European campaign in Serbia and the Netherlands. Led by Olympic silver medalist Carlo Paalam, rising star Clark Vicera, and veteran campaigner Riza Pasuit, the Filipino boxers showcased composure, discipline, and resilience against elite international competition across two major tournaments.

The strong run began at the 63rd Belgrade Winner Elite Men’s and Women’s Boxing Tournament in Serbia, where the Philippines immediately established itself as one of the top-performing delegations in the field. Under the guidance of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP), the national squad carried that momentum into the Eindhoven Box Cup in the Netherlands and completed an impressive gold medal haul ahead of the upcoming Asian Games.

The victories reflected the continued growth of Philippine boxing as Filipino fighters consistently matched up well against experienced opponents from traditional boxing powerhouse nations. The successful campaign also reinforced confidence within the national program as the team continues preparing for bigger international competitions later this year.

Vicera dominates Europe

Clark Vicera emerged as one of the biggest revelations of the European tour after capturing gold medals in both Serbia and the Netherlands. Competing in the Men’s 50kg division in Serbia, Vicera opened his campaign with a unanimous decision victory over Kazakhstan’s Dias Berikbay, a bronze medalist from the 2024 Youth World Boxing Championships.

The young Filipino boxer maintained complete control throughout the tournament and followed up with dominant wins against Saudi Arabia’s Ibrahim Aljohani and Kazakhstan’s Nurzat Ongarov to secure a spot in the finals. Vicera eventually clinched the gold medal after defeating Türkiye’s Salih Samet Oruc through a hard-earned 4-1 split decision victory in the championship bout.

Riza Pasuit also delivered a commanding performance in the Women’s 57kg division and swept through the tournament without dropping a single scorecard. She earned unanimous decision victories against Canada’s Victoria Vergos, Greece’s Areti Stergiou, and Türkiye’s Ece Asude Ediz to secure another gold medal for the Philippines.

Paul Julyfer Bascon added to the country’s medal haul after finishing with a bronze medal in the Men’s 60kg division. The strong showing in Serbia immediately established the Philippines as one of the standout nations in the tournament and created momentum heading into the next competition in the Netherlands.

Paalam shines in return

After missing the Serbia tournament because of illness, Carlo Paalam returned in impressive form during the Eindhoven Box Cup in the Netherlands. Competing in the Men’s 55kg division, the Tokyo Olympic silver medalist quickly reminded everyone why he remains one of the country’s premier boxing stars.

Paalam opened his campaign with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Germany’s Justin Sahin in the quarterfinals before facing one of the toughest assignments of the tournament in the next round. He battled Paris 2024 Olympic silver medalist Billal Bennama of France in a highly competitive semifinal match that became one of the event’s most talked-about contests.

The Filipino standout displayed his trademark speed, timing, and ring control to secure a gritty 4-1 split decision victory and advance to the finals. Paalam later completed his gold medal run after earning another unanimous decision victory against England’s Abdul Burton in the championship match.

Vicera also continued his outstanding run in the Netherlands by capturing another gold medal in the Men’s 50kg division. He defeated Belgium’s Sameer Ardawan in the semifinals before overcoming Ukraine’s Ruslan Bednychenko in the finals despite losing the opening round against the larger opponent.

After adjustments from the Philippine coaching staff, Vicera recovered strongly and swept the final two rounds to secure another unanimous decision victory. The Philippine delegation was supported by coaches Ronald Chavez, Elmer Pamisa, and Mario Fernandez together with physical therapist David Abraham Giray and ABAP President Marcus Manalo.

Manalo praised both the medal haul and the mentality displayed by the Filipino boxers throughout the European campaign. He emphasized the importance of sustaining the momentum as the national team continues preparing for the Asian Games and other major international competitions.