Marcus Browne

Sport: Boxing

Nation: United States of America

DOB: November 10, 1990

Career Highlights: Following a friend to the boxing gym led Browne into the ring at the age of 13, and he’s steadily risen to being possibly the best American amateur among the higher weight classes. In one perspective, the three-time Golden Gloves champion has earned his way on to the Olympic team not once but twice. He originally made it by winning the U.S. Olympic trials in August 2011, but two months later at the world championships, he came up one win shy of qualifying for London with a round-of-16 loss to 2009 world champ Egor Mekhontsev. That meant Browne had to win his division at the national championships in March - he did just that in convincing fashion - to even get another chance at claiming an Olympic bid. That triumph at nationals sent Browne to the Americas Olympic Qualifying Event in Rio, where he only needed to reach the semifinals but ended up winning the title. Browne followed a win over 2008 Olympian Carlos Gongora with a dominant performance against Yamaguchi Falcao Florentino on the Brazilian’s home turf in the final. Compared by some to light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson, Browne is a southpaw known for strong punching power. He posted first-round stoppages in his opening bouts at Rio and the 2011 worlds. The two-time Police Athletic League champ has been trained by former corrections officer Gary Stark in his native Staten Island, N.Y. That childhood pal who originally led him to boxing - N’wachi Hartley - died in a car accident in 2008, and his memory provides inspiration. Browne recently said, “I do fight for him when I’m in the ring.”

Olympic History: None