BUTLER TWP — They might be small steps, but they're steps forward nonetheless.

Jimmy Emrick continues his late-blooming boxing career Feb. 29 as the main event of a pro fight card at the Butler Days Inn.

The 37-year-old Butler heavyweight, 3-1 with two knockouts, will take on Dan Whetzel (9-13, 5 KOs) in a six-round bout.

The Feb. 29 fight will mark Emrick's first main event and his first six-round fight as a professional.

"I'm not doing this just for the money,"Emrick said of boxing. "I'm having fun with it and I love training.

"My kids are into boxing and they enjoy watching me get in the ring, too."

Emrick's 11-year-old sons, Jimmy and Justin, box in the amateur ranks and have competed in national tournaments.

Emrick had been an amateur fighter himself, but gave it up when his brother, Rocky, was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident seven years ago.

"Working with my boys gave me the urge to get back into it,"Emrick said.

Emrick's last fight was a four-round split decision over Corey Gregory (5-15) of Cleveland Dec. 30 in Chester, W.Va. Gregory will be on the Feb. 29 card as well, facing Kristian Geracie (1-2) of Pittsburgh.

Chris "The Nightmare"Stallworth (10-1) of Pittsburgh will take on Cullen Rogers (9-20) of Akron, Ohio, in a six-round cruiserweight bout. Stallworth gained a decision over Whetzel on that Dec. 30 card in West Virginia.

"Jimmy's gonna knock that guy out,"Stallworth predicted. "He's strong, he's focused and he has exceptional hand speed. (Whetzel's)style is come straight ahead, hit or be hit. Jimmy will make him pay for that."

The biggest adjustment for Emrick will be fighting a more seasoned opponent.

"I could feel that difference in my last fight,"Emrick said. "I was hitting Gregory, but he knew how to grab, hang on, buy time and stay in the fight. I need to do a better job of overcoming that kind of stuff."

Another fight on the six-bout card features Jim Lubash (3-1, 2 KOs) against Rod Salka (3-0) in a battle of Pittsburgh light heavyweights.

The balance of the card will be announced later.

John Byrnes, owner of Butler Health and Fitness Club on Duffy Road, where Emrick runs his Eye on the Prize boxing gym, is promoting the card.

"Butler's into this type of thing, and with Jimmy having some space here at our facility, I thought it'd be a natural for us to get behind it,"Byrnes said. "If it goes over big, we'll do it again."

Emrick is confident the show will be a success.

"I sold $8,000 in tickets for that Mountaineer (Dec. 30) show and Brian Minto sold $11,000 in tickets,"he said. "We've definitely got a following going."

Minto (28-2), who won the WBAFedercentro title on that Dec. 30 card, will be on hand for this card, but won't be in action.

The Butler Days Inn will have 744 seats and another 500 standing room tickets. General admission will be standing room.

Tickets are $25 for general admission, $35 for reserved and $50 for ringside. Tickets are available at Butler Health and Fitness Club, Shadyside Health and Fitness and the Days Inn.

The fights begin at 7:30 p.m.