The men's light middleweight event was part of the boxing programme at the 1988 Summer Olympics. 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. 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, 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: Rank Name Country 1 Park Si-hun 2 Roy Jones Jr. 3T Raymond Downey 3T Richard Woodhall 5T Rey Rivera 5T Yevgeny Zaytsev 5T Vincenzo Nardiello 5T Martin Kitel 9T Peter Silva 9T Apolinário de Silveira 9T Michal Franek 9T Sounaila Sagnon 9T Torsten Schmitz 9T Quinn Paynter 9T Laurensio Mercado 9T Abrar Hussain Syed 17T Charles Mahlalela 17T George Allison 17T Desmond Williams 17T Mohamad Orungi 17T M'tendere Makalamba 17T Gary Smikle 17T John Boscoe Waigo 17T Abdullah Ramadan 17T Angel Stoyanov 17T Johnny de Lima 17T Likou Aliu 17T Ncholu Monontsi 17T Wabanko Banko 17T Norbert Nieroba 17T François Mayo 32T Emmanuel Quaye 32T Jorge Oscar López 32T Garth Felix 32T Noureddine Meziane 32T Moussa Wiawindi

First round Segundo Mercado (ECU) def. Kofi Emmanuel Quaye (GHA), KO-3 Raymond Downey (CAN) def. Jorge Oscar 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 Wiawindi (RCA), RSC-1

Second round Peter Silva (BRA) def. Charles Mahlalela (SWZ), 5:0 Rey Rivera (PUR) def. George Allison (GUY), 5:0 Richard Woodhall (GBR) def. Desmond Williams (SLE), 5:0 Apolinario Silveira (ANG) def. Mohamed Orungi (KEN), RSC-2 Michal Franek (TCH) def. Isaack Impatu (VAN), walk-over Roy Jones Jr. (USA) def. M'tendere Makalamba (MLW), KO-1 Yevgeni Zaytsev (URS) def. Gary Smikle (JAM), 5:0 Sounaila Sagnon (BUR) def. John Boscoe Waigo (UGA), RSC-1 Park Si-Hun (KOR) def. Abdullah Ramadan (SUD), RSC-2 Torsten Schmitz (GDR) def. Angel Stoyanov (BUL), 3:2 Quinn Paynter (BER) def. Johnny de Lima (DEN), RSC-3 Vincenzo Nardiello (ITA) def. Likou Aliu (SAM), KO-3 Martin Kitel (SWE) def. Ncholu Monontsi (LES), 5:0 Segundo Mercado (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 Richard Woodhall (GBR) def. Apolinario Silveira (ANG), 5:0 Roy Jones Jr. (USA) def. Michal Franek (TCH), 5:0 Yevgeni Zaytsev (URS) def. Sounaila Sagnon (BUR), RSC-2 Park Si-Hun (KOR) def. Torsten Schmitz (GDR), 5:0 Vincenzo Nardiello (ITA) def. Quinn Paynter (BER), KO-2 Martin Kitel (SWE) def. Segundo Mercado (ECU), 3:2 Raymond Downey (CAN) def. Abrar Hussain (PAK), 5:0

Quarterfinals Richard Woodhall (GBR) def. Rey Rivera (PUR), 5:0 Roy Jones Jr. (USA) def. Yevgeni Zaytsev (URS), 5:0 Park Si-Hun (KOR) def. Vincenzo Nardiello (ITA), 3:2 Raymond Downey (CAN) def. Martin Kitel (SWE), 5:0 Semifinals Roy Jones Jr. (USA) def. Richard Woodhall (GBR), 5:0 Park Si-Hun (KOR) def. Raymond Downey (CAN), 5:0

Final Park Si-Hun (KOR) def. Roy Jones Jr. (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.Boxers Rise From Swamp By Dave Nightingale, St Louis Sporting News, October 10, 1988. 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