Marcus Luther was locked in at the U.S. Championships, knowing he needed five wins to walk away with his biggest national title yet. Still, he admits he wasn’t oblivious to the hype and attention that his daily performances were generating.
Fighting in his first national championships as an adult, the 18-year-old was putting on a show, scoring knockouts that had social media abuzz. It was easy to understand why: at a major tournament featuring top amateur boxers, when fewer than 10 percent of bouts were ending in stoppages, the southpaw was dropping his opponents with pro-style power punches. First there was Yahsin Arrington, whom Luther put down with a right hook in the third round. Arrington rose up but immediately went back down, bringing an end to the fight. The following day, Luther needed just one round to finish Shamar Jerrick, landing an overhand left that dropped Jerrick for the stoppage.
Luther could hear the chatter, but he had a mission to accomplish.
“I was definitely aware of the buzz. But when you're in the groove, and I'm fighting every day, one fight at a time, I'm not really thinking about my last fight. I'm thinking about the next fight and performing again,” said Luther of Washington D.C.
That mindset served him well as he cruised through the tournament, scoring two stoppages while outpointing former national champion Dustin Jimenez and the reigning national team member Rene Camacho to win the 143lbs national tournament last month. The championship win, his 19th overall national title, earned him an invitation to the national team selection camp, which takes place January 11 to February 11. For that month the national champion and runner-up will be evaluated at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with a selection to be made as to who will represent USA Boxing at international tournaments.
“As we know, the Olympic Games is coming up in 2028 so winning this tournament was the first step towards the 2028 Olympics, and being the next gold medalist. So it was very important to win this tournament,” said Luther.
For Luther, who has spent time at the OTC, selection camp is an opportunity to show that he has matured after being removed from the youth national team for a rules violation.
“The previous camps, they just taught me to really just stay focused and work hard, and that I’ve got everything that it takes to become a team member. For sure. As long as I'm healthy, I’ll definitely be making the team,” said Luther.
Making the national team, just over two years ahead of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, would give Luther a strong chance of fulfilling his dream of becoming an Olympian. Training alongside the likes of Shakur Stevenson and Keyshawn Davis in Alexandria, Virginia when they went to the Olympics gave Luther the game plan, and broadened his horizons to what was possible.
From the moment Luther first put on gloves, there was little doubt that this was what he wanted.
Luther, who was born in North Carolina and moved to St. Louis when he was two years old, first started boxing at age six when his father, William Luther Snr, brought him to the gym. Marcus, the youngest of four, initially observed his older brother, William Jnr, in the gym, but was soon excited to train as well.
“I always knew what I wanted to do since the first time I got in the ring and sparred because I just enjoyed it. But when I really realized this is for sure what I want to do was when I won my first national championship [the National Silver Gloves at age nine],” said Luther.
Growing up, Luther’s favorite boxers were Floyd Mayweather Jnr and Sugar Ray Leonard, the latter of whom is also from the DMV area. Luther had the chance to meet Leonard last year at the National Golden Gloves, which Luther won.
“He said he liked the performance,” Luther of Leonard. "He liked what I did. I was just like, that was good, getting that feedback from an all-time great."
Despite still being a teenager, Luther has a ton of experience. His amateur record is currently 103-10, according to USA Boxing, including wins over national champions Thomas Covington and Joseph Awinongya Jnr, while splitting fights with fellow 2025 champion Salim Ellis-Bey, and fighting three times with current pro prospect Curmel Moton, winning once and losing twice on decisions.
Among the professionals that Luther spars with are world champions Shakur Stevenson and Keyshawn Davis, plus 2020 Olympian Troy Isley, rising prospect Deric “Scooter” Davis and tough gatekeepers Sulaiman Segawa and Mykal Fox.
As for where Luther’s punching power comes from, he says it comes from a mixture of hard work and natural strength.
“A lot of it is just God-given genetics and just God-given gifts, and then the other half of it is just hard work and studying and training,” said Luther.
“I watch everybody, but my style, I would say, is a unique style tailored to myself.”
While he one day dreams of finding success and stardom in the professional ranks, he says that the Olympics is an important next step towards establishing his credentials as a world class athlete. His hope is to be standing atop the podium at LA 2028.
“That would mean the world to me, to be able to represent my country on our home soil and be the first male boxer to win a gold medal since Andre Ward in 2004,” said Luther.
Ryan Songalia is a reporter and editor for BoxingScene.com and has written for ESPN, the New York Daily News, Rappler, The Guardian, Vice and The Ring magazine. He holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at ryansongalia@gmail.com or on Twitter at @ryansongalia.
