"They can expect pizzazz, they can expect swagger, and just expect explosive boxing. That's what I'm here to bring to the table, but at the end of the day, I can talk myself up as much as I want to, but I like to let my actions speak for itself, especially my first time out. I don't want to sit here and brag on myself because self-praise is no-praise. I'd rather let the people judge for themselves and just do what I'm supposed to do; do what Marcus Browne does...Marcus Browne is getting ready and I just can't wait to debut my talent and show the world what I got to offer," stated 2012 US Olympian Marcus Browne, who talked about his upcoming November 9 pro debut. Check it out!
PC: How is it going big dog?
MB: Everything is great. I'm blessed to be in the position that I'm in. I'm definitely motivated after seeing a great night of fights at the Barclay Center the other night. I watched a couple of my friends defend world titles and win world titles and make comebacks, so I'm just motivated off of that.
PC: Obviously the 2012 Olympics didn't go as you guys wanted it to go. Is that another motivating factor for you?
MB: I used it as a learning experience. I'm not using the Olympics as motivation; I'm looking at it as my last loss. I'm just growing off of it. At the end of the day, we wish we could have did this and that, but you can't go back in time, so you just gotta build and understand where you are as a man and a fighter and progress.
PC: Of course you have signed with Al Haymon since turning pro. Was that just the logical thing to do my man?
MB: No, no, noÂ… at the end of the day, you and I both know it was the logical thing. But Al is a good person, he has a great team, he is the best in the business, and he wants to make me a superstar. I gotta do my job and take care of business.
PC: You got some work in with Teddy Atlas in the past. What was that experience like for you?
MB: It's really not like in and out with Teddy. Teddy is a part of my career, as well as my trainer, Gary Stark Sr., Gary Stark Jr., Andre Rozier, and all of those people, as well as my strength and conditioning coach, Luis Ruiz. But Teddy provided great boxing knowledge. He's been in the stable with Cus D'Amato and those guys and they are boxing legends. To get information that those guys passed down from him is just great, you know what I'm saying.
PC: Definitely. One thing that was pointed out Saturday is guys like Mike Tyson and Zab Judah never had that place to call home as far as fighting venues; never had that home field advantage. I know your pro debut won't take place there, but you gotta be looking forward to fighting in the Barclays Center?
MB: Oh yeah, most definitely. I'm ready to fight, but most definitely, I'm ready to fight in that building and make history and become great in this sport of boxing.
PC: Sometimes when guys turn pro, they go up or down in weight. Will you be competing as a light heavyweight as a pro?
MB: I'm at light heavyweight, man. That's my class.
PC: November 9th is right around the corner. We will all be getting our first glimpse of you as a pro. What can we expect out of Marcus Browne?
MB: They can expect pizzazz, they can expect swagger, and just expect explosive boxing. That's what I'm here to bring to the table, but at the end of the day, I can talk myself up as much as I want to, but I like to let my actions speak for itself, especially my first time out. I don't want to sit here and brag on myself because self-praise is no-praise. I'd rather let the people judge for themselves and just do what I'm supposed to do; do what Marcus Browne does.
PC: Gary Russell will headline the show, but you will be featured with a lot of your Olympic teammates. How much does that mean to you?
MB: It's a very special thing and it's kind of like a throwback type of thing. Things like that don't happen that often anymore. It used to happen back in the day, but it's like a throwback. I'm just hype to see my guys again because we will feel each other's energy no matter what we are doing. We just love to see each other progress and I like to see those guys progress too. I love to see them do their thing, so I'm just ready for that, but all in all, I'm just ready for us all to make history together, whether that's fighting on the same cardsÂ…not all of the time, but most of the time. And then it is what it is; we grow together.
PC: Throwback is a good term because having all of you guys on the same show is a throwback thing, just like Saturday nights card with the 4 title fights on one card is a throwback thing as well.
MB: Exactly, and that's what we need in boxing to get the fans back into it and get that love for boxing back. Throwback boxing is what people love; they don't like this new school and all of that other stuff. People love that throwback type of feel. So if you can give these old boxing fans that type of feel that they used to get when they used to watch Sugar Ray Leonard and all of those other guys, then that's a blessing. I'm just glad I'm a part of it and I'm just ready to continue on with my journey. The Olympics was just a little small stepping stone, it didn't pan out like how we wanted it to, but it is what it is. Life goes on and you just gotta grow and become better. Making the transition from an amateur to a pro is not an easy thing, but I'm putting all of my focus into making that transition the right way.
PC: I can't get you out of here without asking you who your boxing idols were coming up?
MB: You knowÂ…I'm a young guy, so I can'tÂ… I mean, I like Muhammad Ali, but Floyd Mayweather is the man, Andre Ward is the man, Chad Dawson is a lefty. I like Cory Spinks; he was one of the first lefties I watched coming up, so those are some of the guys that I looked up to. Zab Judah of course he is a lefty from New York City. Basically, that's it. Roy Jones of course, because he was a light heavyweight champion and I'm a light heavyweight and it all works hand in hand.
PC: I like that because you were honest. Sometimes when you talk to a 20-year-old kid and ask that question of who they looked up to, they will say Sugar Ray Robinson, and I'm like, you know damn well you have never seen a Sugar Ray Robinson fight (laughing).
MB: Yeah, exactly, you know what I'm saying. Like, come on, man. Stick with your times; don't sit here and lie about shit. Don't be saying no Rocky Marciano and shit like that.
PC: I agree. Keep it 100. I appreciate the look, man. Lock me in. We gotta keep you on the site. Is there anything you want to say in closing before I let you go?
MB: I just want the world to know that Marcus Browne is getting ready and I just can't wait to debut my talent and show the world what I got to offer.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]