MANILA, Philippines — Delivering a masterclass in elite amateur boxing and securing crucial momentum ahead of the upcoming Asian Games, the national boxing pool has returned from a highly successful multi-nation tour. The Philippine boxing team concluded an impressive European campaign by capturing four gold medals and one bronze medal across back-to-back, high-caliber tournaments in Serbia and the Netherlands.
The medal haul signals an impressive development curve under the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP), proving the depth of the country’s next-generation fighters alongside established veterans.
The national team’s tactical deployment was split across two major international amateur events over the past few weeks, testing local fighters against top-tier Olympic and continental contenders:
[ March 13–17: 63rd Belgrade Winner Tournament (Serbia) ] ──► Clark Vicera (50kg) & Riza Pasuit (57kg) Secure Dominant Golds │ ▼ (Shifting the Campaign to Western Europe)[ Paul Julyfer Bascon Claims Men's 60kg Bronze ] ◄── National Pool Sharpens Ringside Adjustments │ ▼ [ Eindhoven Box Cup (Netherlands): Vicera Wins Second Gold; Carlo Paalam Rules 55kg Class ]
“More than the medals, we’re really happy with the performance of our boxers,” stated ABAP President Marcus Manalo. He emphasized that the fighters’ ability to execute tactical adjustments mid-fight against technical styles proves that the team is heading in the right direction for the Asian Games this September.
The individual roads to gold highlighted completely different strengths, ranging from flawless, shut-out scorecards to gritty, championship-level adjustments:
[ INDIVIDUAL REPERTOIRE PERFORMANCE ]
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┌───────────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────────────┐
▼ ▼
[ THE UNSTOPPABLE FLYWEIGHT ] [ THE TOKYO VETERAN'S REBOUND ]
• **Clark Vicera's Double Mint:** The breakout star won gold in both • **Carlo Paalam's Statements:** After missing the Serbia leg due to
tournaments. In Belgrade, he defeated Turkey's Salih Samet Oruc illness, the Olympic silver medalist returned in the Netherlands
via a gritty 4-1 split decision. to dominate the 55kg bantamweight class.
• **The Eindhoven Recovery:** In the Netherlands final against Ukraine's • **The Marquee Upset:** Paalam secured a masterful 4-1 split
Ruslan Bednychenko, Vicera dropped the opening round 5-0 before decision over Paris Olympics silver medalist Billal Bennama of
rallying to sweep the final two rounds for a unanimous decision. France in the semifinals, before outpointing England's Abdul Burton.
On the women’s side, veteran Riza Pasuit put on a clinical performance in the 57kg featherweight division during the Belgrade leg. Pasuit did not drop a single scorecard throughout her entire tournament run, dismantling Victoria Vergos of Canada and Areti Stergiou of Greece before outclassing Ece Asude Ediz of Turkey in the gold-medal match.
| National Team Fighter | Weight Class Tier | Tournament Location | Gold Medal Final Bout Opponent |
| Clark Vicera | Men’s 50kg Flyweight | Belgrade Winner (Serbia) | Salih Samet Oruc (Turkey) — 4-1 Split Decision |
| Riza Pasuit | Women’s 57kg Featherweight | Belgrade Winner (Serbia) | Ece Asude Ediz (Turkey) — Unanimous Decision |
| Clark Vicera | Men’s 50kg Flyweight | Eindhoven Box Cup (Netherlands) | Ruslan Bednychenko (Ukraine) — Unanimous Decision |
| Carlo Paalam | Men’s 55kg Bantamweight | Eindhoven Box Cup (Netherlands) | Abdul Burton (England) — Unanimous Decision |
With heavy hitters like Paalam, Nesthy Petecio, Aira Villegas, and Eumir Marcial all committing to stay in the amateur ranks to chase podium finishes at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, this European tour serves as a strong foundation. By testing the country’s rising talent against elite international competition, ABAP has proven that the pipeline for Philippine boxing remains as lethal as ever.