Minto has opponent for finale
CENTER TWP — Brian Minto has an opponent for his farewell fight Sept. 10 at Kelly Automotive Park.
Minto, 41, will take on 42-year-old Guyula Bozai of Szigethalom, Hungary, in a 10-round cruiserweight bout as the main event on the pro-am boxing card that night.
“I thought it’d be interesting to bring somebody in from overseas,” Minto said.
The 5-foot-11 Bozai is 15-8-4 with 11 knockouts in his career. His last fight was a split decision over Tamas Toth on April 16 for the vacant Hungary cruiserweight title.
This fight will mark Bozai’s first match in the United States.
“I don’t know anything about him, really,” Minto admitted. “That makes me a little nervous, but I’ve gone into fights without knowing my opponent before.
“The first round becomes important that way. I’ll see what I’ve got and figure out what I’m dealing with.”
While Butler’s Minto (41-11) has 26 wins by knockout, he has dropped his last three fights. Bozai has been stopped only once in his career — losing by TKO to undefeated Sandor Nagy in 2013.
Minto has been in the gym daily and has his weight down to 203 pounds. The cruiserweight limit is 199.
“I don’t want to be embarrassed in my hometown and I want to go out a winner,” Minto said. “That’s plenty of motivation for me.
“I’ve been in shape. I’ve been training hard for a while because I thought I’d be fighting this month before everything got moved back.”
Minto’s last fight was a second-round TKO to Edmund Gerber (26-2) March 5 in Russia. He lost by third-round TKO to undefeated Dillian Whyte for the WBC International Silver heavyweight title in September of last year. Minto took both of those fights on short notice.
His previous fight was a controversial split-decision loss to Israel Adesanya in the finals of a heavyweight tournament in New Zealand.
There will be two heavyweight pro bouts on the undercard Sept. 10 along with numerous amateur bouts. Unbeaten Ray Edwards, a former NFL player, will be in one of the two heavyweight fights.
“We’re hoping to get some local guys on that amateur card,” Minto said.
Tickets will be $100 for ringside (first three rows), $75 for the next six rows, $50 for box seats and $25 for general admission at the ballpark. Tickets will be available from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday of next week at Kelly Automotive Park, or by calling 248-413-9491.
This fight will be the last of Minto’s 15-year professional career.
