Cook

It's time to step up.

That's how Butler middleweight boxer Dave Cook and trainer Don Spinetti view Cook's bout with Jimmy Lubash Wednesday night at Pullman Park.

The fight is on the undercard of the Brian Minto-John Poore main event. The show begins at 8 p.m. and ESPN2 will televise it live beginning at 9.

The Cook-Lubash fight is a swingbout and could be scheduled for four or six rounds, depending on time availability.

"It doesn't matter to me,"said Cook, 26. "I've been training to go six rounds. Jimmy is definitely a step up in class for me.

"He's not a mobile fighter. He's flat-based and he'll come straight ahead, right at me. I'm a boxer, not a slugger, but I'm not gonna run away from him. I'll use my jab and pick my spots," he added.

Lubash (7-1, 3 knockouts) is from Pittsburgh and Spinetti knows him well. He defeated two of his Butler Cubs fighters, K.P. Peth and Ryan Covert, while in the amateur ranks.

"Jimmy is a very good fighter,"Spinetti said. "He's got a strong right hand. It's a step up for Dave, but if I didn't think he had a shot at it, I wouldn't have taken it."

Lubash's only loss was a four-round split decision to Joshua Snyder (4-2) in November. He's been a busy boxer, fighting all eight of his pro bouts in less than a year.

Lubash hasn't defeated an opponent with more than two career wins. His last fight was June 13, a four-round decision over John Michael Terry (2-11-3).

"Dave hasn't fought anyone of Jimmy's caliber, but Jimmy may not have faced anyone as good as Dave, either,"Spinetti said.

Cook is 3-0 with two KOs and might have had a third knockout had it not been for a tornado warning in Toledo, Ohio, during his last fight.

Cook was taking on Don Shrock, whom Lubash has defeated twice by decision, and was seemingly ready to take him out in the second round.

Cook had won by knockout in the second round of his first two fights.

"He was teetering and the referee stepped between us,"Cook said. "I thought he was stopping the fight. He was actually trying to protect both of us. There was a tornado in the area."

The fight was delayed for 10 minutes and when action resumed, Shrock was able to go the distance, losing by unanimous decision.

"I had him in the third round, too, but ran out of time,"Cook said.

The overflow crowd anticipated for Wednesday night — only standing room tickets remain on sale — will not bother Cook, Spinetti said.

Lubash won't be bothered by a pro-Butler crowd, either. He's deaf.

"His deafness hasn't been a hindrance to his fighting in any way, shape or form,"Cook said. "Lubash is an established professional.

"I'm trying to become an all-around skilled fighter. I've been working on different aspects of my game and I'm anxious to find out how far I've come."