In May 2023, history returned. Park Si Hun, the man controversial Olympic gold over Roy Jones jr. In Seoul 1988, Jones’ Pensacola Ranch arrived with the medal in hand. Thirty -five years later, he returned it and acknowledged what the whole world already knew: ‘I had the gold medal, but I wanted to give it back to you. It belongs to you. ‘
The moment was surreal. Families gathered, cameras rolling, and park – with a nervous laugh – added: “This gold medal is your problem now.” For Jones, who has long buried the Olympic robbery under low pride and legendary victories, it was a reckoning. For Park, who lived haunting, it was a release.
The Night Olympic box has sold his soul
Seoul 1988 was one of the dirtiest evenings in amateur box. Roy Jones jr. Dedicated Park, which pushed him 86 to 32, but still three blind or bent judges handed the South Korean the decision. The score was 3-2, a split pronunciation so rotten that it stank all over the world.
Jones walked away with the Val Barker trophy for ‘best stylistic boxer of the games’, but not the medal that must have been around his neck. Years later, Olympic officials recognized corruption, with whispering of political transactions and national pressure. The IOC quietly revised the amateur standards after the scandal – but they never reversed the decision. They let the robbery stand.
Jones later said he promised to never have judges robbed him again: ‘The day taught me one thing – take the judges out of it. Knock it out, leave no doubt. ‘ And he lived through it. From junior middleweight to heavyweight champion, he forged a career that proved that his dominance was no wave.
Park’s load – depression, shame and a medal he never wanted
Park did not get away untouched. He apologized to Jones immediately after the fight and admitted that the decision was wrong. But in South Korea he was no hero. He became a scapegoat, destroyed by his own country, with depression, suicide attempts and decades of guilt.
In a three -hour sitting to the medal, Park admitted: ‘I never wanted it. It has destroyed me. ‘ These are not the words of a champion – these are the words of a man who carries someone else’s crime. His trip to Pensacola was a way to cut off that weight.
Jones, who was caught by the arrival of Park, admitted that the shock hit him hard: “I thought I was coming for an interview. I didn’t know that I would come to peace with my past. ‘ Now, with the medal in his possession, Jones is talking documentary – not just about the theft, but about legacy, resilience and how you live to injustice.
Take me
Let’s call it what it is: Olympic box has Roy Jones jr. After the river sold in ’88. The judges were bent, the officials were good, and the IOC never had the backbone to be wrong. They changed the scoring system, but left the greatest injustice to rot on the books. It is corruption attracted as reform.
The park that returns the medal is undoubtedly emotional. But let’s not pretend to wipe the slate clean. The damage was done. Jones was robbed on the biggest stage, and Park was destroyed in the wake. Both men lost in different ways.
And the IOC? They estimated freely. No liability, no excuse, no official reversal. Only bureaucrats who hide behind their rules, while two fighters lived the consequences. This is the right scandal.
If Jones makes that documentary, I hope he tear in the Olympic suits that make it slip. Because it was not just a bad decision, it was Olympic box that shows the world that it was to the core.
Last updated on 09/04/2025
