AN OLD MAN’S GAME

At an age when most careers are winding down, Brown started anew. He switched to traditional boxing in 2023 and found immediate success by winning his debut with a first-round knockout of rookie Eric Hadley on a card in Trussville, Alabama.

Five more fights, including another TKO against Hadley, followed before he got a shot at a championship. In October 2025, Brown went to Memphis to fight Manny Woods for the World Boxing Nation Intercontinental super middleweight title and claimed a fourth-round TKO victory.

Brown marveled at his recent success, as well as his path to it.

“I didn’t want a predetermined road to how my life was going to be. I wanted to be something I was going to figure out on my own. When I went into MMA I said I was going to the UFC and then it didn’t happen. I was just doing bare knuckle to cover it, and then instantly I’m famous. I thought this was a small promotion and it became a big deal,” Brown said. “Then I get out of that and go into boxing and my new coach (Monyette Flowers) is a pure boxing coach. He said with the credentials you already have, even though you’re just starting boxing really late, you keep knocking everybody out. Even at 41 I believe we can make one more run.”

Brown added that, as a combat sports veteran, he’s learned to know his limitations and use his assets well during his time in boxing. In his early 40s, he knows it’s difficult to outmuscle younger and faster opponents so he relies on strategy and a cerebral approach to win. Although it seems counterintuitive in a sport where the core objective is to bash the opponent senseless, it works.

“I started late, so I learned not to use my athletic ability. If I know I’ve got to beat you in a race and you’ve got a bike, and I’m on foot, when I get a chance I’m going to try to let the air out of your tires. Then we’ll see how we do in that foot race,” he said. “It’s one of those things you have to play it smart vs. playing it on equal footing. I need to be smart. I need to be better at the art than he is. Every year I’m getting slower and they’re getting bigger, faster, stronger. I’ll look at what they bring to the table and write it down. Let’s exploit his weaknesses. It’s the planning that makes me confident. If you did everything you could, then you submit yourself to the universe.”

A HOMECOMING

Brown will turn 42 in August and, even in a best case scenario, admits his fighting days are growing short. He also said he’s been telling himself that for 10 years.

“I told myself I was going to be done at 35. Then 36 came and when the UFC told me I was too old at 37 I was done,” he laughed.

Before he hangs up his gloves and exits the ring for the last time, Brown will fight in his hometown of Vicksburg for the first time since 2013 when he was on an MMA card at Lady Luck Casino.

He’ll defend his WBN championship against Pendarvis, a veteran boxer from California who has 52 professional fights on his resume. Pendarvis has a 22-28-2 record, is 39 years old, and has lost 12 consecutive matches, making him the definition of a journeyman. Brown said it really makes him a more dangerous opponent, though.

Only one of the opponents during Pendarvis’ losing streak has more than two pro losses and eight fights went the distance. Brown said one thing his own long career has taught him is that anybody can beat you if you take them lightly, and he’s not about to do that with Pendarvis.

“I’ve seen a lot of people make the mistake of looking at his record and feeling like, ‘He’s lost half of his fights and I should be able to beat him.’ When you go through his record, I’m looking at his losses and this guy is 10-0. The next guy is 19-2, the next guy is 19-2, 8-0, 14-1, 18-2, 6-0, 7-1, 20-0. He only fights undefeated prospects,” Brown said. “It’s easy for somebody to walk in there and think, in theory, this should be easy. I’m going to take him seriously like he’s an imminent threat. There’s nothing more embarrassing than losing in front of your hometown — and if he wins he walks away with my belt.”

Brown and Pendarvis are scheduled for eight rounds and will be the last of between six and 10 bouts on the card at the Vicksburg Convention Center. Doors open at 6 p.m., matches start at 7, and all ages are welcome.

Terrance Williams, a rising welterweight with an 11-0-1 record, will be in the co-main event against an opponent yet to be announced. Hunter Turbyfill, a Memphis-based featherweight originally from Starkville, will take on Shaileik Paisley in another featured match.

Brown said fighting in front of a sold-out hometown crowd is something he’s dreamed of since he embarked on his journey nearly 20 years ago. He also hopes it inspires others to follow in his footsteps.

“It’s one of the most exciting things I’ve ever done. If I do this and win, I can legitimately say I did everything I could. I went hard in this sport, even when the odds were stacked against me. I didn’t know anybody before me that’s ever done this. I would hope the message that gets sent is you can do it too. Even if you don’t have the resources, or you’re from a place where nobody gets known on a national level, I got known on an international level,” Brown said. “I’m excited fighting in front of people I went to Warren Central with, all my family members, all the guys that are young and doing MMA right now, it’s going to be awesome.”

Brown said he wasn’t sure how much longer he’ll be an active fighter. He sits down after each match to evaluate his condition and the potential for bigger matches and paydays. If this is not his farewell, he hopes to squeeze out a couple more years, a couple more wins, and either finish his career as a champion or by fighting one on a big stage.

“(Flowers) said either we make one more run and you end your career as a beltholder, or somebody else who is an up-and-coming prospect that they’re willing to pay millions of dollars to,” Brown said. “We say, ‘Hey, we’ve got an old guy that should be an easy task for you.’ And even if you lose you’ll go back to Vicksburg as a millionaire. That was the plan, but we’re still playing it by ear.”

In the meantime, putting on a show for a cheering hometown crowd is something that’s hard to put a price on.

“I wish I had words for it,” he said. “I was working at Headmasters in Vicksburg, sitting in the shop every day telling them I was going to be a mixed martial arts fighter. After a while people saw I was doing well and started going to the fights. It’s going to be awesome to see those people who were around when I started. So many people are saying when those tickets drop, I’m there.”

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RIVER CITY KNOCKOUTS

• Saturday, July 17, 7 p.m.

• At Vicksburg Convention Center

• Tickets available through Ticketmaster.com; use the promo code BROWN1

• Vicksburg native Martin Brown will defend his WBN super middleweight title against Cleotis Pendarvis in the main event.