In one of the most extraordinary acts of sporting reconciliation, 1988 Olympic champion Park Si-hun traveled from South Korea to Roy Jones Jr.’s ranch in Pensacola to hand over the Seoul gold medal that had haunted boxing for 35 years.
The emotional exchange, which took place in May 2023, corrected one of the sport’s most significant controversies.
Park, accompanied by his family, stunned Jones by relinquishing the medal in a private ceremony three and a half decades after their infamous bout.
The Controversy of 1988
Back in 1988, Jones dominated Park in the Seoul Olympic final, even taking the Val Barker Trophy as the standout boxer of the Games. But to worldwide disbelief, the judges awarded Park a 3-2 victory. The scandal forced Olympic authorities to overhaul their scoring system.
Jones carried the injustice throughout his Hall of Fame career but refused to let it define him. Returning home to Pensacola, he vowed never again to leave the results in the hands of judges.
That mindset propelled him to greatness, climbing from junior middleweight to become the first man in over a century to win the world heavyweight championship.
For Park, the medal came at a heavy cost. He admitted to Jones immediately after the decision that he didn’t deserve the win, but his life descended into depression, suicide attempts, and vilification in South Korea.
In a recent three-hour interview, Park revealed the personal torment he endured as the man branded the beneficiary of Olympic boxing’s darkest night.
Handing Back the Gold
On May 30, 2023, the reckoning finally came. Expecting a routine interview at his gym, Park floored Jones by walking into the ring.
In front of both families, Park handed him the medal: “I had the gold medal, but I wanted to give it back to you. It belongs to you,” Park said through his son.
Then, with a laugh, he added: “This gold medal is your problem now.”
The gesture symbolized closure for both men, an exchange that conveyed forgiveness, respect, and a shared understanding of the toll the decision had taken.
For Jones, it also marked the beginning of a new chapter.
Having long kept the subject at arm’s length, the Pensacola legend is now considering a full documentary on his life, legacy, and the resilience it took to overcome boxing’s greatest robbery.
About the Author
Phil Jay is a veteran boxing journalist with over 15 years of experience covering the global fight scene. As Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News since 2010, Jay has interviewed dozens of world champions and reported ringside on boxing’s biggest nights. [View all articles by Phil Jay] and learn more about his work in combat sports journalism.