Carlo Paalam will be laser-focused when he battles a familiar foe in the Round of 32 in the men’s 57-kg division of the 2nd World Olympic Qualifying Tournament at the Indoor Arena Huamark in Bangkok on Tuesday.

Paalam, a silver medalist in the Tokyo Olympics, will clash with Shukur Ovezov of Turkmenistan for a win that will put him closer to a slot in the Paris Summer Games in July.

It’s going to be an emotional encounter between Paalam and Ovezov.

In fact, they already clashed in the Round of 16 of the 1st World Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Busto Arsizio, Italy, where the Filipino puncher was forced to after suffering a shoulder injury prior to their match.

‘Redemption is a nice story but he is focused on returning to the Olympics.’

Now, Paalam is facing the same foe and the Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (ABAP) assured that he will go all out to redeem himself from that botched attempt to qualify in the Summer Games.

“Nothing extra. Just another opponent he needs to beat to move to the next round,” ABAP secretary general Marcus Manalo said, stressing that Paalam will treat their rematch just like an ordinary bout.

“Redemption is a nice story but he is focused on returning to the Olympics.”

For Paalam to book a return flight to the Olympics, he has to finish in the top three, which means that he has to win his next four matches against quality foes who are composed of regional, continental and world superpowers in his weight class.

So far, Aira Villegas, Tokyo Summer Games silver medalist Nesthy Petecio and 19th Asian Games bronze medalist Eumir Marcial are the only boxers who qualified for the Olympics.

Meanwhile, Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Hergie Bacyadan is facing off with Spaniard Dunia Mas Martinez in the Round of 64 of the women’s 75-kg division as of press time.

Manalo said Bacyadan just needs a good game plan to get a win over the Spaniard.

“She just needs to set-up her punches well and she’ll be fine. She is familiar with her opponent since they trained and sparred during their training camp in Spain a few months back,” Manalo said.

Unfortunately, Criztian Pitt Laurente suffered an early exit in the men’s 63.5-kg event after a 0-4 loss to Mukhammedsabyr Bazarbay Uulu of Kazakhstan late Sunday.

Manalo said the General Santos City native could not use his quickness to his advantage.