Finally, the rematch is set.

Butler's Brian Minto (20-1, 11 KOs) will fight Vince Maddalone (25-2, 18 KOs) in a 10-round heavyweight bout on the undercard of the Roy Jones Jr.-Antonio Tarver main event Oct. 1 in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The Minto-Maddalone fight will be one of four bouts televised on HBO pay-per-view.

Minto, who signed the contract for the fight Tuesday, knocked Maddalone out in the 10th round of their July 24, 2004, fight on ESPN2 after getting knocked down in the first round himself.

"I know I can knock him out because I've done it before," Minto said. "He's a big, strong guy, but I'm gonna stand in there, counter and get inside."

Maddalone's promoter, Joe DeGuardia, is also Tarver's promoter.

"That's why we're on this card," Minto said.

The Minto-Maddalone fight could be for the North American Boxing Association (NABA) heavyweight title. The current champion, Samuel Peter, might surrender the title voluntarily.

"I hope we're fighting for the title because the winner would automatically be ranked in the WBA (World Boxing Association) top 10," Minto said. "There hasn't been a white heavyweight fighter among their top 10 since Tommy Morrison (1991)."

If Peter doesn't give up his title, the Minto-Maddalone winner would receive the "interim" title, which simply guarantees a top-10 ranking in the NABA. Maddalone is currently ranked 17th by that organization. Minto is not ranked among the top 20.

"The money I'm getting for this fight isn't what it should be," Minto said. "It's decent money, the biggest payday of my career, but I'm not getting my fair share.

"I'm taking this fight for the opportunities that will be presented to me if I win. It's time to take a chance. I'm back on TV, my name's out there again - those are good things."

Minto's last two fights have been club shows at the Butler Days Inn - unanimous decisions over David Polk and Jermell Barnes - with his last fight being July 12 against Barnes.

Maddalone scored a fifth-round TKO over then-undefeated Shannon Miller (11-1) Aug. 19, knocking Miller down three times in a brutal fight that saw Maddalone sustain a nasty cut over his left eye.

"That injury is relatively fresh," Minto said. "It shouldn't take much to open it up again. I know he's going to be protecting it."

Maddalone stands 6-foot-1, weighs 230 pounds and prefers going toe-to-toe with his opponents.

"You put anyone in front of me, it's going to be like that every day. It's going to be a war," Maddalone was quoted by MaxBoxing.com as saying after his TKO of Miller.

Minto plans to fight at 210 pounds, his current weight. He returned to the training facility in California, Pa., this week.

"There's some sparring partners coming in, I've been running hard - I'll be ready," Minto said. "Maddalone's a tough guy and he can take punches. If I have to, I'll outpoint him.

"He and I may wind up fighting a few times. There's no one exciting in the heavyweight ranks right now and we can put on an exciting fight. It's what people want to see."