HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Brian Minto made the call Freddie Roach was more than willing to receive.

Now the boxer-trainer combo is working on adding Minto to Roach's list of boxing world champions.

"He's a great teacher," Minto said of Roach. "He doesn't throw too much at you at once and he knows his stuff. He certainly has the resume."

Butler's Minto (33-2, 21 KOs), 34, is taking on unbeaten Donnell Holmes (31-0-2, 27 KOs) in the 12-round main event of an Aug. 14 fight card at Pullman Park. The bout is for the WBO North American heavyweight title.

It's also about respect in the world rankings.

"Freddie thinks I'm quicker than the guy, that I'll beat him to the punch," Minto said. "We've been breaking down film. He's showing me ways to counter what Holmes likes to do."

Minto flew to California in late June to spend six weeks training in Roach's Wild Card Boxing Club. He's returning to Butler Aug. 9.

He arranged for the flight out there as soon as he got Roach's green light to train him.

"Brian gave me a call to see if I'd work with him," Roach said. "I did some research on him and found he was a tough kid with a very good record.

"I told him if he wanted to come out, he could come. He's fit in very well with the other heavyweights out here. It's been a good deal for everybody."

Roach, 49, has trained 25 world champions in his career, including current WBC lightweight champion Manny Pacquiao.

Oscar de la Hoya, Mike Tyson, Virgil Hill, James Toney and Bernard Hopkins are among other notable champions who have been under his tutelage.

Since he began working with Roach, Minto has been sparring against Ola Afolabi, the current WBO world cruiserweight champion, and Lateef Kayode, a 7-0 heavyweight who was a member of the Nigeria Olympic boxing team.

"Brian's been holding his own against Ola," Roach said. "If he can handle himself in the ring against that guy, he can hold his own against just about anybody.

"Brian wasn't showing a lot of head movement when he first came out here. He'd throw his combinations, but stand stationary right in front of the guy while doing it. We've also worked on his footwork. His feet get crossed up a bit when he moves around the ring. We want more straight steps.

"He's showing improvement in both of those areas now. He's a good puncher with a lot of heart and a great work ethic. That's what I like about him," Roach added.

Minto dsescribed Roach's training techniques as "rigorous and with a purpose."

"I spar out here at least three times a week, but it's not like I sparred back home," he said. "I go three rounds with one guy, then three rounds with another guy, then three rounds against a third guy. And I'm only getting 30-second breaks between rounds.

"I thought I had good stamina before ... It's nothing like now."

Minto's been doing a lot of running as well. Roach has him run for 50 minutes up a steep hill. He goes up and down 200 steps on a stairway at the beach. He does a lot of sprinting and does a long distance run once a week.

Minto will do eight rounds of sparring Friday before returning to Butler and resting up for the fight. Roach will fly to Butler next week and be in Minto's corner for the bout.

"Freddie's one of the nicest guys I've ever come across," Minto said. "He hardly even knows me and he gave me his apartment next to the gym all this time, basically for nothing.

"I'm more prepared than ever. Now it's up to me to step in there and win."

Roach had no problem making room for Minto in his gym.

"I love hungry fighters. And this guy's hungry," he said.

Minto's manager, Pat Nelson, said that 1,000 seats remain available for the pro fight card. No standing room tickets will be sold because of fire regulations and the bout will not be televised.

Tickets are available at the Pullman Park box office, at the Butler County Housing and Redevelopment office on Woody Drive or by calling 724-287-6797.