CENTER TWP — His eye healed and his NABO heavyweight title intact, Brian Minto is getting back in the ring — at cruiserweight.

The 34-year-old Minto (34-3, 21 KOs) is taking on 38-year-old Damon Reed (45-13, 32 KOs) in a 12-round cruiserweight bout March 6 at the Mountaineer Casino and Racing Resort in Chester, W.Va.

Cruiserweight carries a weight limit of 200 pounds.

"I only have to lose another 11 pounds or so," Minto said. "I'll get faster, which will benefit me because speed is power."

The Butler heavyweight — who has never fought in the cruiserweight division — weighed in at 218 pounds for his Dec. 5 bout against Chris Arreola in Atlantic City. Minto lost that fight by fourth-round TKO, suffering a severely swollen and blackened left eye in the process.

"My eye cleared up in four or five days," he said. "I've been watching my diet since that fight and already shed a few pounds."

The Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission ruled Tuesday that Minto will retain the NABO heavyweight title he won against Donnell Holmes last summer at Pullman Park.

Holmes' camp appealed the referee's ruling that the fight was stopped after four rounds because of a head-butt that cut Minto open just above an eye. Minto was ahead on the judges' cards at that point and was awarded the decision.

"Ultimately, the commission went with the referee's ruling," Minto said.

Reed is from Topeka, Kansas, and has won his last two fights — both at cruiserweight — since getting knocked out in the second round of a heavyweight bout against Monte Barrett (32-6) in February of 2008.

The Barrett fight was part of a four-bout stretch of heavyweight fights involving Reed. He went 2-2 in those fights, though the majority of his career has been in the cruiserweight division.

"We've gotten back a signed contract from Reed, so the fight's on," Minto's manager, Pat Nelson, said. "Both fighters agreed to compete at no more than 200 pounds.

"It's important to us to get Brian back in the ring and have him resume his winning ways. We want to keep him busy for what's coming in May."

With a win March 6, Minto may receive an opportunity to fight WBO world cruiserweight champion Marco Huck (27-1, 20 KO's) in Germany sometime in May. Huck, 25, of Germany has won eight straight fights since suffering his only loss, a 12th-round TKO to Steve Cunningham on Dec. 29, 2007.

Both sides are talking, but if the cruiserweight title fight doesn't materialize, Minto may defend his NABO crown against Tony Grano. 29, of Hebron, Conn., in May. Grano is 16-1-1 with 13 KO's.

Minto has six months from Tuesday to defend his NABO title.

"Grano has a rematch with Mark Brown, the only guy to beat him, in February," Nelson said. "Their plans are to avenge that loss to Brown, then come after Brian's title.

"A Minto-Grano fight would be on neutral soil, either in West Virginia or back in Atlantic City. Whether in Germany or in the U.S., Brian will have a title fight in May."

Minto has no problem with either direction.

Despite his WBO heavyweight ranking falling to No. 14 with the loss to Arreola, Minto remains eligible for a world title fight at heavyweight or cruiserweight.

"Where my weight's at, I can fluctuate between either division," Minto said. "I just won't fight a heavyweight weighing more than 30 pounds.

"Arreola surprised me the way he could move. And giving up 40 pounds or more, you just get pushed and shoved around too much."