Manchester cruiserweight Pat Brown faces undefeated John Hedges at Co-op Live on Saturday with the British and Commonwealth titles on the line. The 26-year-old Olympian aims to maintain his perfect knockout streak while chasing a dream future fight at Old Trafford.
Brown is tearing through the cruiserweight division. He has knocked out all six of his pro opponents, with four destroyed inside two rounds. Now, he steps up for his biggest domestic test yet. Moving from Planet Ice in Altrincham to the massive Co-op Live arena shows his rising star power. But he still remembers his debut venue. Reflecting on that cold rink, Brown said: “The only downfall are the changing rooms are quite small. I’m quite tall and the ceiling is a bit low, so it’ll be nice to be in a big, open changing room.”
Standing in his way is Essex fighter John Hedges, who enters undefeated in 12 fights. It is a massive step up. But Brown fears nobody in the ring. His fearless attitude comes directly from his father, who taught him to take on all comers.
Explaining his mindset, Brown declared: “I wouldn’t be in this game if I didn’t think I could fight anyone. I’ll always get in the ring with anyone; that’s the way my dad built me.”
His father instilled that relentless work ethic early. Whenever an opponent called, there was no hesitation.
Brown added: “Ever since I was a kid, whenever the phone went for a fight, he’d always say ‘yes’. It doesn’t matter about records or who they are, it’s just boxing.”
Winning on Saturday will supercharge his domestic standing. Still, the ultimate prize sits right down the road. Brown wants to bring big-time boxing back to Manchester United’s stadium for the first time since 1993.
Dreaming of a blockbuster night at the Theatre of Dreams, Brown revealed: “My house was only 15 minutes away from Old Trafford. When I watched on TV and United were playing at home, I used to feel warm inside watching it because I used to think ‘that’s my home’.”
Saturday is his moment to prove he belongs under the big lights.
