Eager to get back in the ring, Jim Emrick is getting his wish.

The 37-year-old Butler heavyweight will take on Ryan St. Germain (2-1) of Elkhart, Ind., in a four-round bout that's part of a professional boxing card May 30 at the Monroeville ExpoMart.

The fight is one of six undercard bouts. The main event features a pair of lightweights:Monty Meza-Clay (27-1, 18 KOs) of Pittsburgh, ranked No. 2 by the WBO, against Mexican champion Omar Lizarraga (17-4-1, 12 KOs).

Emrick (3-1-1) hasn't fought since his six-round draw with Dan Whetzel Feb. 29 at the Butler Days Inn.

"I did that fight with cracked ribs,"Emrick claims. "I couldn't do much in workouts for three weeks leading up to that fight.

"I'm perfectly healthy now and Tommy Yankello has agreed to be my trainer on a regular basis. He's really made a difference in me."

A longtime boxing trainer, Yankello is working with nine pro fighters right now, including Meza-Clay and Butler heavyweight Brian Minto.

"I told (Emrick) before that I wasn't all that interested when he first asked me to train him, but he's been persistent,"Yankello said.

"I wanted to work with his boys (youngsters Justin and Jimmy) because I'm excited about their futures. After I first turned down Jim and tried discouraging him from pursuing this, he asked if he could just work out in the gym — and he worked out as hard, if not harder, than anyone else in the gym."

Emrick runs his own construction business. Most of the other fighters Yankello works with are full-time boxers.

"Jimmy's desire is incredible,"Yankello said. "I have guys with twice his talent who don't have desire like that. He said he was going to move forward and fight, with me or without me. I couldn't turn my back on him."

Emrick is beginning his pro career at an age when most fighters are calling it quits.

St. Germain is 28, stands 6-feet-2 and weighs 220 pounds. He knocked out Larry Brown in the first round of a scheduled four-rounder March 22.

Emrick stands 5-10 and weighs 212 and recognizes the size difference he's giving up.

"These guys are so much taller than me and I have a disadvantage in reach," he said. "I'm going to fight one more heavyweight after this, then I'm moving to cruiserweight to face guys more my own size."

His final heavyweight bout likely will be an eight-round rematch with Whetzel in the Butler area in June or July.

Emrick trains with Yankello two or three days a week and works with Butler assistant football coach Erich Campbell on conditioning twice a week as well.

"(Campbell) has been doing some weight training with my legs to strengthen me in that area,"Emrick said.

Yankello said Emrick continues to show marked improvement as a boxer.

"If he wasn't, I'd tell him to give it up because it wouldn't be worth it to him to continue,"Yankello said. "But his combination punching has really picked up.

"His defense is way better. Jimmy had no concept of defense before — what he didn't block, he got hit with. Now he knows how to bob, weave and slip punches."

Emrick is ranked 534th among pro heavyweights by boxrec.com. .

"I've seen people do tremendous things in this business," Yankello said. "He's a good athlete, a former football player — I don't rule anything out."

Tickets for the fight are available by calling Emrick at 724-496-4158.