Title Gone, Simon Brown Tries to Regroup

“In the growth of any artist, an essential element is a correct dosage of calamity,” A.J. Liebling wrote in “The Sweet Science.” “If the adversity is too adverse, he has to seek work at some useful trade; if it is not adverse enough, he gets a swelled head.”

Liebling was writing specifically about Archie Moore, whose adversity for years was not getting the big fight in New York. Moore, of course, operated with “the correct dosage of calamity” -- and, genius in the ring -- and became a legend.

Simon Brown, a current practitioner, would be an apt subject for Liebling if the writer were still alive because Brown has won two welterweight titles and made eight successful title defenses, all the while verging on “calamity” and certainly never finding the “correct dosage,” then losing the title in an overdose of “calamity.”

Brown, who grew up in Washington and lives in Mount Airy, Md., lost his title Nov. 29 in a stunning upset by Buddy McGirt, and now the boxing community wonders if Brown, as he moves up to a new weight division, can find the productive blend of crisis and contentment that successful boxers need but too often find elusive. If the “proper dosage of calamity” has always eluded Brown, its absence until now has never slowed him an iota.

Can he put his career together again? Did he just have a bad night against McGirt in an otherwise sparkling 34-2 career? Will he ever be able to settle the turmoil on the periphery of his boxing life, or will he weave his way clear of out-of-ring distractions that are inherent in the sport and the fate of most boxers?

His problems over the years have included these: would-be opponents who ducked him, trainers he couldn’t agree with, a manager who’s sued him, a promoter he fell out with, years and years of struggle getting down to the 147-pound welterweight limit, small purses, tank towns and heroic fights fought at distant points on the globe (Hungary, Switzerland, France) so that as he enjoyed some of his finest moments his hometown didn’t always notice (his 14th-round knockout of Tyrone Trice in their first meeting is regarded as a classic fight of the ‘80s).

Then, in rapid succession, Brown joined up with Don King, made more money than he ever had but again not as much as he should have, only to resign one title (International Boxing Federation) because he said he didn’t want to fight a mandatory against Glenwood Brown and lose the other (World Boxing Council) in the ring after suffering too much adversity: first, a hurt hand that delayed the fight, then a cut eye when he resumed training, the flu, his worst weight struggle of all and, finally, a classic boxing lesson from McGirt.

What an irony. The man he beat, Maurice Blocker, to win the WBC title ends up with the IBF title Brown vacated.

“Simon Brown’s handling right now must be adroitly implemented,” says Rock Newman, who manages heavyweight Riddick Bowe and knows Brown. “Simon is still a fighter who can go on to be a star and make millions of dollars. But he is in a position that, if he is not handled properly, his story could be a tragic one.”

But maybe it isn’t all that melodramatic. Maybe Brown just had an easily explained off night on which too many things went wrong. Mike Trainer, Sugar Ray Leonard’s lawyer, sees it that way: “Everybody has a bad day. Boxers are under a great deal of pressure. They perform so infrequently. They’re not ‘allowed’ to have a bad performance.”

Emile Griffith, a champion in his day, shares the view. Brown’s most recent trainer (and maybe Brown’s most recent ex-trainer), Griffith says: “Only one person didn’t lose, Marciano, God bless him. So Simon lost a fight. Only the second fight he’s lost. Simon’s a great fighter.”

The good-fighters-bounce-back maxim is echoed by Jose “Pepe” Correa, a former trainer of Brown who believes he will be his next trainer -- although Brown isn’t saying who will be. “Simon’s a guy who stayed as a welterweight a little too long,” says Correa, who can envision Brown regaining glory as a junior middleweight or middleweight.

Brown, 28, expresses confidence that he will find success in a new weight class. “I was a champion three years, and I guarantee you I will be a champion for three or four years more. I don’t feel I’m washed up or anything.”

But no one believes it will be easy because nothing Brown has accomplished has come easily. His actual bouts have been mild compared with his life and times with managers, trainers and promoters, and obscurity and low pay. Now he has become his own manager while taking advice from King, who will continue as his promoter. “Simon Brown has made in excess of a million dollars in two fights,” King says in a booming voice.

Newman, who has taken Bowe on a course independent of promoters, cautions: “Don King and Don King’s operation is not one that has a history of making the right moves for a fighter in this position. Don’s a front-runner.

“But I’m not saying he shouldn’t do business with Don King.

“But Simon should have a very personalized agenda.”

“I’m not happy with ‘The Rockster,’ ” says King, referring to other matters. “But we’ll talk about him some other day. Right now we’re talking about Simon.”

Brown says he’s been treated well by King. “Since I’ve been with Don King I don’t have to worry. About paying sparring partners. Travel -- the tickets are there. This is the first time I feel comfortable.”

But King reportedly paid McGirt as challenger more than he paid Brown as champion -- typical of how it’s gone in Brown’s career.

Brown says that before he began doing business with King he was underpaid for years but “I saved my money. I put my family first. I never ran around. I’m always in the gym. I’m lucky to have accomplished as much as I did as a welterweight. It was the hard work that did it.”

If only, Brown reflects, he’d postponed McGirt one more time. . . .