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It\u2019s never too late to make amends.<\/p>\n
Nearly 35 years after his gold medal-winning boxing match, the guilt still weighed on South Korea\u2019s Park Si-hun.<\/p>\n
He knew he lost in 1988, but was awarded the gold with a controversial 3-2 win over American Roy Jones Jr. at the Summer Olympics in Seoul, in front of a hometown crowd.<\/p>\n
Most observers thought Roy Jones dominated the match.<\/p>\n
An announcer said during the broadcast<\/a> of the fight, \u201cIf he doesn\u2019t win the gold off this, I think there\u2019s something rotten in Korea because that was absolutely one of the most dominant things I\u2019ve seen\u201d.<\/p>\n Jones even received the Val Barker Trophy given to the best boxer in the Olympic Games. And yet, the gold medal was awarded to someone else.<\/p>\n \u201cWell there it is,\u201d another announcer said after the fight. \u201cPark Si-hun has stolen the bout!\u201d<\/p>\n Rumors circulated for years that the judges were corrupt. In 1996, documents were reportedly discovered from East Germany\u2019s Stasi secret police that some judges were paid to favor South Korean boxers. Many people believe the East Germans did it to stay ahead of the United States in the medal rankings.<\/p>\n However, an International Olympic Committee Investigation a year later found no significant evidence to prove that there was a bribery scheme.<\/p>\n The medal remained with Park, but the guilt persisted.<\/p>\n Many people viewed him as a victim too, a pawn in a bribery scheme that gave him a result he didn\u2019t request. Park retired from boxing soon after the Games\u2014and called his life with the gold medal a nightmare.<\/p>\n Jones, meanwhile, grew into one of the best fighters in boxing history, perhaps using that Olympic disappointment to fuel his illustrious career. He ended up winning championships in four different weight classes and compiling an overall record of 66-10 with 47 knockouts.<\/p>\n The only win that seemed to elude him was the gold medal in 1988.<\/p>\n But finally, years later, the two boxers would meet again.<\/p>\n Park sought closure and traveled to Jones\u2019 hometown in Pensacola, Florida to surprise his former Olympic rival.<\/p>\n That day, Jones thought he was heading to the gym for a routine interview. Instead, Park was there to hand over the medal that had been denied for 35 years.<\/p>\n Park said through his son, who translated, \u201cI had the gold medal, but I wanted to give it back to you. It belongs to you.\u201d<\/p>\n More than three decades of emotions erupted in Jones.<\/p>\n