A shoulder injury forced Filipino boxer Carlo Paalam to bow out early at the World Qualification Tournament in Busto Arizio, Italy.
The campaign of the 2020 Olympics silver medalist came to an end after he failed to finish his fight against Shukur Ovezov of Turkmenistan in the men's 57-kilogram class.
In a Facebook post, Paalam admitted that he suffered an injury during his earlier bout against Andrey Bonilla of Mexico.
"Unfortunately, I sustained an injury in my last match that hasn't fully healed, and during the course of the fight, it became apparent that continuing would risk further damage," Paalam said.
"As much as it pains me to step away from the ring in this manner, my health and well-being must always come first," he added.
Paalam still has a chance to earn a ticket to the 2024 Olympics when he competes in th qualifiers that will run from May 23 to June 3 in Bangkok, Thailand.
"Rest assured, I am focused on recovering fully so I can come back stronger and continue pursuing my passion for boxing," Paalam vowed.
Following the qualifiers in Busto Arizio, boxers Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas join the growing list of Filipino athletes who have earned a spot in the 33rd Olympics that will run from July 26 to August 11 in Paris, France.
