JUDE GALLAGHER’S OLYMPIC debut ended in a frustrating defeat to the Philippines’ Carlo Paalam on a close but unanimous decision (29-28 x4, 30-27) in their 57kg last-16 bout.
Paalam, the Tokyo Olympic silver medallist down at 52kg and the 2022 Asian champion up at 54, sufficiently edged the first two rounds in the judges’ eyes to bank his place in the quarter-finals, but Co. Tyrone man Gallagher pushed him all the way with an impressive performance in its own right.
Paalam, 26, who was one of the Filipino flagbearers during the Olympic opening ceremony, deservedly edged a high-class first round in the eyes of three of the five judges, his left hand the most eye-catching weapon of a brilliant round of boxing.
Gallagher, 22, appeared to up the ante in the second, whipping his left hand into Paalam’s body and creating plenty of openings upstairs. While Paalam, who again had plenty of his own success, landed the best shot of the round — a thunderous straight left over the top — Gallagher finished strongly as he backed the Filipino to the ropes and dished out a hurtful combination.
What seemed like a coin-toss of a round, however, was awarded by all five judges to Paalam, leaving the scores at 20-18 x3 and 19-19×2.
As such, Gallagher ostensibly needed a knockout in the third and final round to salvage the bout.
He went in search of it, utilising his natural size advantage attack more from the inside and loading up on shots, some of which connected. This his necessary recklessness was pounced upon by Paalam on a couple of occasions but the two-time Olympian was more content to smother Gallagher’s attacks and simply survive the round relatively unscathed, which he did.
Gallagher took the last round on four of the five judges’ cards, but Paalam took the unanimous victory in a brilliant battle.
'We knew it was going to be a tough fight... I thought it was tighter than the final verdict was'
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) July 31, 2024
Jude Gallagher reacts after his defeat to Carlo Palaam of the Phillipines#RTESport #Paris2024 #boxing
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“I thought I performed very well,” Gallagher told RTÉ Sport afterwards. “I think it was tighter than what the final verdict was. I’m proud the way I performed. Done the best I could, left it all in the ring. That’s all I could ask for.
“You can’t take nothing away from him,” Gallagher said of Paalam, who briefly commiserated with the Newtownstewart man during his interview with Joe Stack. “He’s a quality operator. I’m just happy to be on this stage, sharing the ring with operators like him, the best in the world. That’s where you want to be, like.
“I gave it my shot but just came up short.”
He fought well 2028 will be his time
@Square: the officals scoring do so bad
@Square: officials
Overall it’s been a poor Olympics so far, from an Irish point of view. Bar a couple of swimmers there hasn’t been a whole lot to shout about. Maybe rowers might do something. Maybe it’s just bad timing on my behalf but every time I turn on TV there’s an Irish competitor losing it seems. Boxers are really struggling. Rugby sevens were a disaster both codes. Hockey team beaten. Badminton beaten.
@Ray Ridge: Bar a couple of swimmers? You mean bar the gold and silver already won, and we’re not even finished day 5. Rowers are doing brilliantly, and we’re still in with a shout of more medals in boxing, golf and sailing. Hockey and badminton were never realistic medal chances. A chance gone in men’s rugby sevens perhaps. You need to alter your expectations and remember our Olympic history
@SYaxJ2Ts: This Irish team was being hyped up as our biggest and best ever. Overall that’s not the case so far. I’d like to think we could pick up another couple of medals before the track and field begins.
@Ray Ridge: you really don’t have a clue, or else you crave attention so much. I won’t even get into your nonsense about predictions, but since the RWC, you have never said a positive word about your country in any sport, and you can even throw your so called county in Galway into that as well. Really says alot about you as a person that you think for such a small country with terrible facilities and infrastructure in alot of the sports, that you think we should be top of the world in every sport. We hit way and I mean way above our weighr in alot of sports and have many world champions for such a small country. As a lover of athletics, an athlete even making an Olympic final is deemed a success to me and most knowledgable sports fan.
@Kevin Dillon: Its not me hyping them up. Geez I’m not saying they should all be wnning medals ffs. All I’m saying for what’s supposedly our biggest and strongest team it’s being very disappointing overall. Bar the obvious of course.
@Ray Ridge: jesus you’re the minister for being miserable. It’s obvious you crave attention or else you’re just on the slow side
@Ray Ridge: well another bronze just secured there with Harrington. Wiffin should get another medal in 1500 and possible in 10k. Rowers should get two medals, McClenaghan should get a medal as well. All this before athletics. This will be our best olympics yet. Remember 2004? 2000 with just the 1 medal, 2016 just the two.
Enjoy the Olympics Ray. Only on every four years.
@Ray Ridge: this mayby the worst post you ever made its being the greatest olympics so far i predict 12 medals 3 so far 11 days to go boxing swimming rowning gym more you are 100 percent negitive
@SYaxJ2Ts: worst post ever from rr lol this is amazing 3 medals 11 days to go golf rowning boxers gym saling not even started the athletics
@Kevin Dillon: well said kevin
@Ray Ridge: You’re nothing if not consistent Ray, consistently clueless and brain dead.