Brian Minto might soon have some company.

The 32-year-old Butler heavyweight is heading back to Germany for a March 17 fight against Luan Krasniqi, a German fighter ranked No. 6 by the World Boxing Organization.

Minto is trying to become a name in a heavyweight division that is screaming for a name to take it over.

Now Tommy Morrison is trying to become that name as well.

You remember Morrison. He defeated such names as George Foreman and Razor Ruddock, was a 26-year-old phenom with a deadly left hook on a collision course with Mike Tyson for a multimillion dollar title fight in 1996.

Then Morrison tested positive for HIVand disappeared from the fight game — except for a starring role as Tommy Gunn, Rocky Balboa's adversary in Rocky V.

Morrison's character was defeated on the silver screen. His real character took a real beating in real life.

Morrison wound up losing his wife, his children and his home. His $16 million of boxing earnings went by the wayside as well. He did prison time for drugs.

Now, 11 years later, he's back in the ring.

Morrison fought on the undercard of a boxing show Thursday night in Chester, W.Va. He competed in a four-round bout for a few hundred dollars.

At age 38, he's hoping to gain a few bigger fights in the near future and challenge for a world title in a nameless heavyweight division.

Why not?Minto's trying to do the same thing.

Now ranked No. 15 in the world by the WBO, Minto can get a title fight if he defeats Krasniqi. World title holder Wladimir Klitschko may be waiting in the wings for him.

Such a bout could quickly elevate Minto to the top of the boxing world.

But if it doesn't happen, perhaps the Butler fighter should look to take advantage of one of these "comeback"fighters, whether it's Evander Holyfield or Tommy Morrison.

A match against either — billed as the main event at Mountaineer Racetrack and Gaming Resort in nearby Chester — would not only net Minto a decent payday, but would give him a chance to take out a name fighter in front of a lot of area fans.

To become a name in boxing, you have to defeat a name.

If the financial details can be worked out, Minto has reached that stage of his career.

He insists he won't be fighting when he reaches the age of Morrison or Holyfield.

At age 35, Minto hopes to call it a career and move on to the next stage of his life.

Morrison is trying to start over. Minto is trying to reach the top rung of a ladder he's been climbing for a few years now.

There's not much room at the top. If Morrison's comeback proves fruitful, one of these guys may have to knock the other one off eventually.

It would be a fun, intriguing and eventful fight to see.

And Brian Minto has certainly earned such a moment in the spotlight.