The men's light middleweight event was part of the boxing programme at the

1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and officially branded as Seoul 1988 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. 159 nations were represe ...

. The weight class allowed boxers of up to 71 kilograms to compete. The competition was held from 20 September to 2 October 1988. 36 boxers from 36 nations competed. 19-year-old

Roy Jones Jr. Roy Levesta Jones Jr. (born January 16, 1969) is an American professional boxer. He has held multiple world championships in four weight classes, including middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight. As an amateur he r ...

of the U.S. dominated his opponents, never losing a single round en route to the final. In the final, he controversially lost a 3–2 decision to 23-year-old South Korean fighter

Park Si-Hun Park Si-hun (; born December 16, 1965) is a retired South Korean boxer. He won a gold medal in the men's light middleweight category at the 1988 Summer Olympics, being awarded victory over Roy Jones Jr. of the United States even though most obs ...

, four years his senior, despite pummeling Park for three rounds and landing 86 punches to Park's 32.

Medalists

Results

The following boxers took part in the event:

First round

Segundo Mercado Laurensio Segundo Mercado (born 5 January 1967) is a retired male boxer from Ecuador. Mercado represented Ecuador at the 1988 Summer Olympics, losing on points in the boxing competition to Martin Kitel of Sweden. He turned professional after the ...

(ECU) def. Kofi Emmanuel Quaye (GHA), KO-3 * Raymond Downey (CAN) def. Jorge López (ARG), 5:0 * Norbert Nieroba (FRG) def. Garth Felix (GRN), KO-1 * Abrar Hussain (PAK) def. Noureddine Meziane (ALG), KO-2 * François Mayo (CMR) def. Moussa Viavindi (RCA), RSC-1

Second round

* Peter Silva (BRA) def. Charles Mahlalela (SWZ), 5:0 * Rey Rivera (PUR) def.

George Allison George Frederick Allison (24 October 1883 – 13 March 1957) was an English football journalist, broadcaster and manager. He was the BBC's first sports commentator and Arsenal's second longest serving manager. Journalism career Allison was b ...

(GUY), 5:0 *

Richard Woodhall Richie Woodhall (born 17 April 1968) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1990 to 2000. He held the WBC super-middleweight title from 1998 to 1999, as well as the Commonwealth middleweight title from 1992 to 1995, and the E ...

(GBR) def. Desmond Williams (SLE), 5:0 * Apolinario Silveira (ANG) def.

Mohamed Orungi Mohamad Orungi (born 26 November 1962) is a Kenyan boxer. He competed in the men's light middleweight event at the 1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and officially branded as Se ...

(KEN), RSC-2 *

Michal Franek Michal Franek (born 18 January 1967) is a Slovak boxer. He competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics and the 1992 Summer Olympics The 1992 Summer Olympics (, ), officially the Games of the XXV Olympiad (, ) and officially branded as Barcelona ...

(TCH) def. Isaack Impatu (VAN), walk-over *

(USA) def.

M'tendere Makalamba M'tendere Makalamba (born 2 April 1966) is a former Malawian light-middleweight boxer. He competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics, where he finished in seventeenth place. He also represented Malawi at the 1990 Commonwealth Games, losing his opening bo ...

(MLW), KO-1 * Yevgeni Zaytsev (URS) def.

Gary Smikle Gary Smikle (born 26 April 1966) is a Jamaican boxer. He competed in the men's light middleweight event at the 1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and officially branded as Seoul ...

(JAM), 5:0 * Sounaila Sagnon (BUR) def. John Bosco Waigo (UGA), RSC-1 *

(KOR) def.

Abdullah Ramadan Abdullah Ramadan Suliman (born 11 November 1966) is a Sudanese boxer. Amateur career He competed in the men's light middleweight event at the 1988 Summer Olympics, losing in the second round to Park Si-hun. Professional career In 1998, rank ...

(SUD), RSC-2 *

Torsten Schmitz Torsten Schmitz (born 26 August 1964 in Crivitz) is a retired German boxer in the Light Middleweight class. He represented East Germany at the 1988 Summer Olympics. Amateur career Schmitz was an amateur standout and fought in several notable ...

(GDR) def. Angel Stoyanov (BUL), 3:2 * Quinn Paynter (BER) def. Johnny de Lima (DEN), RSC-3 *

Vincenzo Nardiello Vincenzo Nardiello (born 11 June 1966) is a retired former world champion Italian boxer in the super middleweight division. He was a WBC world champion in that division. Early life and amateur career Nardiello was born in Stuttgart, Baden-Wür ...

(ITA) def. Likou Aliu (SAM), KO-3 * Martin Kitel (SWE) def. Ncholu Monontsi (LES), 5:0 *

(ECU) def. Vaban Banko (ZAI), 5:0 * Raymond Downey (CAN) def. Norbert Nieroba (FRG), 3:2 * Abrar Hussain (PAK) def. François Mayo (CMR), RSC-2

Third round

* Rey Rivera (PUR) def. Peter Silva (BRA), KO-1 *

(GBR) def. Apolinario Silveira (ANG), 5:0 *

(USA) def.

(TCH), 5:0 * Yevgeni Zaytsev (URS) def. Sounaila Sagnon (BUR), RSC-2 *

(KOR) def.

(GDR), 5:0 *

(ITA) def. Quinn Paynter (BER), KO-2 * Martin Kitel (SWE) def.

(ECU), 3:2 * Raymond Downey (CAN) def. Abrar Hussain (PAK), 5:0

Quarterfinals

(GBR) def. Rey Rivera (PUR), 5:0 *

(USA) def. Yevgeni Zaytsev (URS), 5:0 *

(KOR) def.

(ITA), 3:2 * Raymond Downey (CAN) def. Martin Kitel (SWE), 5:0

Semifinals

(USA) def.

(GBR), 5:0 *

(KOR) def. Raymond Downey (CAN), 5:0

Final

(KOR) def.

(USA), 3:2 Judges Zaur Gvadzhava of the Soviet Union and Sándor Pajar of Hungary each voted for Jones, 60–56, on the 20-point must system. Alberto Duran of Uruguay and Hiouad Larbi of Morocco voted for Park, each by 59–58. Bob D. Kasule of Uganda gave 59–59 a draw, but decided that Park was more aggressive. As the decision was highly controversial, it eventually led the Olympic authorities to introduce a new high-tech scoring system, which in turn was intended to eliminate biased judging.Higher, Further, Faster: Is Technology Improving Sport?
by Stewart Ross.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Boxing At The 1988 Summer Olympics - Light Middleweight

Light Middleweight Light middleweight, also known as junior middleweight or super welterweight,PeBoxRec/ref> is a weight class in boxing but also may include other combat sports. Boxing The light middleweight division (also known as junior middleweight in the Intern ...

Boxing controversies