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NEW YORK: Roy Jones Jr. has the gold medal from the 1988 Olympics — thanks to a gift from the South Korean fighter who defeated him in the controversial boxing match.

Park Si-hun traveled to Jones’ ranch in Pensacola, Florida, two years ago and gave the Hall of Famer the medal that Jones seemed to have earned in a bout most observers outside of the judges believed he dominated. The news was revealed Wednesday in a video posted on Jones’ YouTube page.

Jones went to his gym on May 30, 2023, believing it was for an on-camera interview. Instead, he found Park in the ring and both fighters’ families there.

“I had the gold medal, but I wanted to give it back to you. It belongs to you,” Park said through his son, who translated.

Park was awarded a 3-2 decision in the light middleweight title bout in Seoul, South Korea, lifting the stunned Jones into the air in the ring after the result was announced. He has said the criticism he received and the depression he felt sometimes led to suicidal urges.

The International Olympic Committee in 1997 concluded it had found no evidence to support bribery allegations against the judges who voted in favor of Park. The US Olympic Committee had called for an investigation in 1996 after documents belonging to East Germany’s Stasi secret police revealed reports of judges being paid to vote for South Korean boxers.

Despite not winning gold, Jones was awarded the Val Barker Trophy for the best boxer in the Games. He went on to win titles in four weight classes from middleweight to heavyweight and went 66-9 as a pro.

Park retired from boxing after the Olympics but later became a coach.

BRATISLAVA: Four-time world champions Germany have set their sights firmly on winning the 2026 World Cup, coach Julian Nagelsmann said on Wednesday ahead of their first qualifier against Slovakia on Thursday.

Germany kick off their World Cup Group A qualifying campaign in Bratislava before next hosting Northern Ireland on Sept. 7 in Cologne.

Nagelsmann said they were eager to make a winning start in their bid to qualify for the tournament, co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico next year.

“It is healthy to set goals. It is difficult for a team or even an individual to go through life without a goal they are working toward, that is worth fighting for,” Nagelsmann told a press conference when asked whether the goal of winning the World Cup was too ambitious.

Germany were knocked out in the group stage at the last two editions of the World Cup and some domestic polls have shown not all fans share Nagelsmann’s confidence.

“I think it is healthy that we all want to win the World Cup. I am 100 percent convinced that no player would answer differently or they would not need to travel with us,” Nagelsmann said.

With Luxembourg also in Group A, Germany are the overwhelming favorites to advance.

“But we need to focus on the process until we get there, on every game,” he said. “To not have moments of doubt because of the big goal. The process is decisive to reach goals.”

Germany, who were eliminated in the Euro 2024 quarterfinals in Nagelsmann’s first tournament in charge, have also lost their last two matches in June with defeats to Portugal and France in the Nations League.

“It is about rhythm,” said Nagelsmann. “I wish that as a team we stabilize, that we have fewer of these moments after the last two defeats. The most important thing is to win matches and qualify and we hope to do it with dominance.”