Browne is Crowned

Marcus Browne had the match and his first Golden Gloves sewn up.
He knocked down Shaka Davidson, his opponent in the 165-pound novice final at Madison Square Garden’s WaMu Theater last Thursday night, 30 seconds into the first round. Davidson also took three standing eight-counts. But as the final seconds ticked away, he aggressively attacked instead of sitting back conservatively.
“I wanted him to stay down,” Browne said. “I took his heart. He looked like he didn’t want to fight. I had to play with him, give the fans their money’s worth.”
When the fight was finally stopped after another knockdown, the second of the fight, 1:43 into the third round, the result of yet another vicious straight left hand, Browne jumped to the top rope and flexed his bulging muscles. The talented 17-year-old Far Rockaway native was a Golden Gloves champion on his first try.
“This is every New Yorker’s dream right here,” the southpaw said afterward, still beaming. “It feels amazing. I want to feel this great next year and the next and the next year. I want to keep doing it. I’m not satisfied.”
“Great performance, nice, relaxed,” his trainer, Gary Stark Sr., said. “I thought he would be more nervous, his first Golden Gloves final, but he was relaxed in there. He set up his punches and he made them count. He didn’t waste any punches.”
“He dedicated himself, I got to give him his (props). He came all the way to the gym every day. He worked with me. I remember when he was 13, and he jumped out of the ring on me. We had our tribulations.”
Browne had plenty of motivation for the amateur tournament before it started. On January 16, Nwachi Hartley, his best friend and boxing mentor, was killed in a pedestrian-car accident. Browne dedicated the Gloves to Hartley. He thought about him during his daily two-hour commute from South Queens to Staten Island’s Concord High School and afterwards to the Park Hill Police Athletic League for training sessions.
“These pair of gloves are for him,” he said. “I’m going to get them engraved for him. It’s special.”
Browne doesn’t have to worry about any long trips anymore. The day before the fight, he passed his driving test - on his first chance - with a Ford Explorer no less. Now, nothing is holding him back.
“I’m just going to stay hungry, humble,” he said, “keep working hard.”
Davidson saw more than enough in their three rounds. He was floored by a straight left hand in the first and was blistered throughout. If not for Browne switching back and forth between southpaw - his natural stance - and playing with Davidson, the fight may not have made it so far.
“He’s definitely a great fighter,” Davidson said. “He threw stuff at me I wasn’t ready for.”
This is just the first step for Browne, a talented sophomore. Stark said he would elevate Browne to the open division in upcoming national tournaments.
“Now we’ll see how good he is,” his trainer said.
“I’m going to do the same thing in the Open,” Browne promised.