And in a sensational confession straight after the bout, Moroccan Larbi admitted he gave it to Park on purpose to avoid a humiliating whitewash.
Larbi said: “The American won easily; so easily, in fact, that I was positive my four fellow judges would score the fight for the American by a wide margin.
“So I voted for the Korean to make the score only 4-1 for the American and not embarrass the host country.”
Larbi, Kasule and Duran were all suspended for six months pending an investigation – but they were eventually cleared by the International Boxing Association (AIBA).
Jones was awarded the Val Barker trophy as the best boxer of the 1988 Olympics – and the irony was not missed on him.
He told Joe Rogan in 2020: “Well, that’s a contradiction. How is the best boxer here not winning a gold medal?”
The IOC investigated the result and in 1997 they concluded that, while officials had been wined and dined, there was “no evidence of corruption in the boxing events in Seoul”.
In the years after Jones’ heartbreaking loss – more damning evidence came to light.
Because Karl-Heinz Wuhr -the general secretary of AIBA – also worked for the secret police agency of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany).
And when the Stasi’s secret files were released after the collapse of the Soviet Union, investigative journalist and author Andrew Jennings found allegations of outright bribery.
Wuhr wrote: “They [the host nation] did not miss a chance to try to corrupt or influence me.
I earned a gold medal that night in Seoul in 1988. Judges were crooked and I am sure they were not the only ones.
Roy Jones Jr
“They repeatedly attempted to persuade me to take back my decisions punishing judges they seemed to have an interest in.
“There were always judges prepared to declare a South Korean boxer victor, even if this was completely ludicrous.”
He alleged bribes had been paid to several judges, including three from Africa and one from South America.
Ref Leoni – from Jones’ infamous bout – supported the allegations.
He claimed an Argentine colleague had been offered an envelope stuffed with cash by the Korean boxing authorities.
A stunned Jones questioned whether he would ever be able to box on in the aftermath of his Olympic devastation.
But, it turned out to be a minor setback in an otherwise incredible career.
In the years following his Olympic ordeal, he did receive a glimmer of redemption as two of the three judges were banned for life.
Great Britain’s Richie Woodhall, South Korea’s Park Si-Hun and Roy Jones Jr PA:Empics Sport Jones became one of boxing’s biggest ever stars Reuters Jones and Park Si-hun remained in touch Maria Shvets
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