Abdumalik Khalokov of Uzbekistan, right, and Carlo Paalam of the Philippines, left, compete during the men’s 51-57kg quarterfinal boxing match at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Hangzhou, Tuesday, October 3, 2023. (AP Photo/ Aijaz Rahi)

HANGZHOU, China – World champion Abdumalik Khalokov of Uzbekistan possessed the height and agility that Carlo Paalam found too challenging to handle.

Khalokov used his height advantage to the hilt to show Paalam the door after winning 5-0 in the quarter-finals of the men’s 57kg boxing at the 19th Asian Games here.

With the painful defeat at these Games, Paalam’s Olympic bid came to a devastating end in Paris next year.

Only the finalists in his weight class can get those tickets in the French capital.

“I gave everything in this fight and I don’t regret it,” Paalam said in Filipino. “I will bounce back in my next fight.”

Abdumalik Khalokov of Uzbekistan, top, knocks out Carlo Paalam of the Philippines, bottom, during the men’s 51-57kg quarterfinal boxing match at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Hangzhou, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

That fight will take place in Italy during the World Championships in February next year, when the Olympic silver medalist resumes his journey in Tokyo for a return trip to the quadrennial global showpiece.

Paalam’s departure also left the Philippines with a lone bet on light-heavyweight Eumir Marcial, who will appear in Wednesday’s semifinal against Syria’s Ahmad Ghousoon.

Khalokov, who ruled the same weight class at the world championships early this year in his hometown of Tashkent, started throwing volume punches from the opening bell and took on the vertically challenged Paalam in a dogfight.

Khalokov, a head taller than Paalam, was also super active in the ring during the second round, waltzing around quickly to avoid Paalam’s combinations after being hit twice in the head by a hammer blow.

The 23-year-old Uzbek also repeatedly summoned his inner wrestler by grabbing Paalam and throwing him to the ground at least three times.

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“We thought we had him (Khalokov) in the second round, but the jury still scored 5-0. He (Khalokov) is good, Carlo still has to get used to his weight,” coach Ronald Chavez said.