Deonte Brown, when he began his professional boxing career, knew he needed a nickname. The Morgan City native was just 21 years old, but he understood even then the importance of show business. The moniker had to be catchy, something that would stick.

So, he went to his barber.

The two brainstormed ideas until Mr. Mike, as Brown calls him, came up with a fitting rhyme that proved to be the winner.

In the red corner, Deonte…. “Lay ‘Em Down” Brownnnnnnnnn

“I ran with it,” Brown said.

Brown (16-0, 11 knockouts) will hear the nickname again Friday when he headlines Red Owl Boxing's “BoxFest XVI” in a 10-round, super featherweight (130 pounds) fight against Grimardi Machuca (17-2, 14 KOs) at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles, aired on the streaming service DAZN.

The fight serves as an

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