Ex-champ Brown to face Mendez at Tropicana

      Veteran Simon Brown wants to work his way back into title contention before the clock runs out on his career.
      The former welterweight and super welterweight champion will meet David Mendez of San Diego tonight in a scheduled 10-round middleweight fight in the main event of a professional boxing card at the Tropicana Sports Pavilion.
      The bout is part of a card sponsored by Break-Em Excavation using the promotional license of Power Punch Promotions, formerly Nugget Promotions. The seven-bout card is scheduled to start at 6:15 p.m.
      Brown, 33, hasn't fought in 7 1/2 months, since he lost a 12-round decision to Lonnie Bradley for the World Boxing Organization middleweight title Aug. 30 in Reading, Pa.
      Brown, a native of Jamaica living in Mt. Airy, Md., has lost three straight title bouts. He lost his World Boxing Council super welterweight championship to Terry Norris in 1994 at the MGM Grand Garden.
      Brown (45-6) returned to challenge for the International Boxing Federation super welterweight belt in 1995, but was stopped by Vincent Pettway in Landover, Md.
      "It's not like I'm getting any younger. I'm getting older," he said. "I still feel I can go in and do the same job I did before.
      "My goal is to go on and get a title back."
      Brown said the reason for his long layoff is because proposed fights fail to materialize.
      "Every day I train. Every day I prepare," he said. "They give me a date every month, but nothing takes place. Something happens (to the fight). It gets frustrating training and nothing happening."
      Brown said he would like to fight Norris for the third time.
      Brown stopped Norris to win the WBC 154-pound title in 1993 in Puebla, Mexico, before losing the belt back to Norris after making one successful defense against Troy Waters.
      A scheduled bout between cruiserweights Ted Cofie of Australia and Terry Pitts of Detroit for a minor title has been canceled.
      The undercard:
      Lonnie Smith of Las Vegas vs. Miguel Jarocho Gonzalez of Mexico, welterweights, 10 rounds.
      Lupe Aquino of Santa Paula, Calif., vs. Earl Jackson of Denver, middleweights, eight rounds.
      James Crayton of Las Vegas vs. Joel Garcia of Mexico, junior welterweights, six rounds.
      Juan Sanchez of Las Vegas vs. James Stokes of Las Vegas, middleweights, four rounds.
      Hasan Al of Denmark vs. Daniel Mendez of Tucson, Ariz., junior middleweights, four rounds.
      Women's bout -- Gina Guida of Oakland, Calif., vs. Maria Recinos of Mexico, welterweights, six rounds.