[2] Brown was ranked the second-best bantamweight boxer in the world in The Ring magazine's Annual Ratings for 1931, and the fourth-best in January 1932 by the National Boxing Association.

One newspaper summarizing the bout wrote, "Corporal Izzy Schwartz...outscored Newsboy Brown of Sioux City, Iowa throughout to win recognition in New York as the holder of the Flyweight Championship vacated recently by Fidel LaBarba.

The Norwalk Hour, perhaps showing some local bias, wrote of the well attended bout in Madison Square Garden, that Schwartz was "too fast, shifty, and resourceful, for the plodding Brown, and won hands down."

A more objective source noted that Brown had previously defeated Schwartz, and that he "entered as a slight favorite and forced the fighting throughout", despite losing in a unanimous decision.

[7] In his next fight Brown won his most important and historic victory by beating Johnny McCoy on January 3, 1928, in a ten round bout for the flyweight world title as recognized in California.

Brown continued to show promise after losing the title, defeating Flyweight world champion Midget Wolgast in Los Angeles in a non-title fight on August 19, 1930, in a decisive ten round bout.

New London's The Day wrote, "Midget Wolgast recognized flyweight champ in New York and Pennsylvania, took a severe beating at the hands of Newsboy Brown, Los Angeles veteran trial horse, in a ten round non-title bout here.

Tommy Gardner, who held the Pacific Coast and Northwest Bantam titles, fell to Brown on June 13, 1930, at Hollywood's Legion Stadium in a ten round points decision.

[11] Brown was scheduled to meet Frankie Genaro for a second time on September 9, 1930, at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, but Genaro scheduled to fight Midget Wolgast instead, perhaps fearing that Brown could take back the National Boxing Association World Flyweight Title he held at the time or aware that a fight with champion Wolgast would be bring a bigger audience and be more lucrative.

"[12] Whatever the reason, Brown defeated Mexican boxer Chato Laredo on September 9, 1930, in a decisive ten round match at the Olympic Auditorium but never again met Genaro, nor had a chance at the NBA Flyweight World Title.

He took the USA California Bantamweight State Championship on November 24, 1931, defeating Filipino boxer Young Tommy in a ten round points decision in Olympic Stadium in Los Angeles.

[14][15] He fought Speedy Dado twice in 1931, losing one bout and winning the second in a third round knockout in Los Angeles on March 3 for the California State bantam title.