CHESTER, W.Va. — Working hard in the ring is nothing new for Brian Minto.

But the Butler heavyweight worked longer in the ring promoting his next fight than he did disposing of Ray Lunsford as part of the professional boxing card Thursday night in the Grand Ballroom of the Mountaineer Race Track and Gaming Resort.

Minto (28-2, 17 KOs) knocked down the outclassed Lunsford (19-8) three times in the first 1:56 of the first round. The three-knockdown rule was in effect, thus ending the fight.

"He fell straight down on his face on that last one,"Minto said. "I don't think he was gonna get up anyway."

Lunsford weighed in at 281 pounds for the bout — outweighing Minto by 60 pounds — and gamely got to his feet after the first two knockdowns.

Minto landed a straight right hand over the top to floor Lunsford just seconds into the fight. The second knockdown occurred from a combination of blows.

A left hook caught Lunsford flush on the chin and ended the fight.

"The guy was technically sound and that surprised me a little,"Minto said. "But I was so anxious for this fight to get here. I've been sparring so hard ... I couldn't wait to get 10-ounce gloves on and throw some punches.

"I'm so much stronger physically than I've ever been. Working with Steve Hilderbrand (strength coach from Butler) has made a big difference in me."

After the fight, Minto took the microphone and called for Joe Mesi, an undefeated heavyweight from Buffalo, N.Y., to come into the ring. Mesi was in attendance and was introduced to the crowd earlier in the evening.

When Mesi joined Minto in the ring, the Butler fighter publicly challenged him to a match and Mesi accepted.

The fight will likely be at The Harv here in early November and be on pay-per-view.

"It's two world-class heavyweights. It belongs on pay-per-view,"Mesi said.

Lunsford would agree.

"I was getting hit with world-class punches,"Lunsford said. "It didn't matter how many of them I slipped. I was in trouble."

The 38-year-old Lunsford has been a pro fighter for 15 years despite only having 27 pro bouts.

"I had a couple of long layoffs, quit a couple of times out of disgust, because of a lack of opportunity and a lack of progress," he said.

Lunsford said he's been his own worst enemy when it comes to boxing. He never had a nutritionist or followed any specific diet.

"I'd take a fight, train like crazy and either break or pull something that would set me back," he said. "I took this fight for the payday and the fact I've always wanted to visit this state.

"I'm big into mountain biking and kayaking, so I was intrigued about coming here."

Lunsford is an Arkansas native and now lives in Mississippi.

While Minto scored his knockout in less than two minutes, he didn't have the quickest result among Butler boxers on this night.

Jim Emrick, 38, made his pro boxing debut by scoring a first-round TKOover former Ohio Toughman competitor Billy Greenwalt of Boardman, Ohio.

Despite giving away height and age to Greenwalt, Emrick was the aggressor from the opening bell, charging at his opponent and bloodying his mouth with a flurry of punches.

Just 1:40 into the first round, Emrick caught Greenwalt with a right hook along the ropes, sending his foe sprawling backward.

Greenwalt struggled back to his feet, but remained wobbly as the referee stopped the fight.

"I'm not surprised at this at all,"Emrick said. "My dad was a kick-boxer. I was a kick-boxer. I grew up in the ring.

"All I had to do was keep my feet on the ground. I knew I could do this."

Emrick said his aggressive style was designed to make sure he landed a few punches early.

"That guy was a Toughman fighter," he said. "He's never been hit with 10-ounce gloves. I knew if I caught him early, he's be stunned and he was."

Emrick has signed on for his second pro fight, slated for Sept. 22 in Canonsburg.

Thursday night's fight card — which included an IBCworld lightweight championship bout between Verquan Kimbrough of Aliquippa and Rodney Jones — will be aired at 10 p.m. Saturday on Fox Sports Pittsburgh.