SLIPPERY ROCK — Brian Minto won't be fighting on a proposed second professional boxing card at Pullman Park this summer.

Plans for an Aug. 23 show at the renovated ballpark were derailed by the unexpected death of Minto's mother recently.

"It's been hard. There's nothing easy about this," Minto said of dealing with his family's loss. "My mother watched my kids while I trained every day. ... She did a lot of things for me."

Minto, 33, (31-2, 20 knockouts) does hope to return to the ring in late October or early November with Slippery Rock University's Morrow Field House as a potential site.

"We have been approached and we're looking into it,"SRUathletic director Paul Lueken said.

Minto attended SRUand played linebacker for The Rock in the mid-1990s.

"It would be another chance to return to my roots again,"Minto said.

Pat Nelson, Minto's manager, said he hopes to hear from Lueken this week.

"I'm hoping Brian and I can go up there Friday and hammer out a deal,"Nelson said.

Morrow Field House can seat 2,500 people in the bleachers. Lueken said another 500 to 600 seats would be available on the floor.

Minto had hoped to set up a pro fight card as part of The Rock's homecoming festivities Oct. 18. Lueken is more amenable to the night of Nov. 1. The Rock football team hosts Lock Haven at 1 p.m. that day.

"It'd be tough going up against high school football on a Friday night and our other Saturday dates around that time would be difficult,"Lueken said. "Having a boxing card on our homecoming isn't likely to happen. There's too many other things going on.

"We may be locked into Nov. 1, but who knows?I was just contacted about this (Monday). We haven't even talked to the university president yet."

Nelson remains hopeful of a Friday night date to entice ESPNinto televising the event. A Saturday show could be televised by Fox Sports Net or Showtime.

"ESPN is anxious to get (Minto) on TVagain before the end of the year,"Nelson said. "Nov. 1 would be a good time, though. It provides Brian time to deal with the family setback and it still keeps him busy."

Minto is ranked No. 10 in the world by the World Boxing Organizationand No. 15 by the World Boxing Association, making him eligible for a world title fight in either sanctioning body.

Nelson said potential title fights will not become available for another six months because "everyone at the top of the rankings has a scheduled fight right now.

"Injuries happen in this business, though. If a contender gets hurt and can't fight on the scheduled date, Brian could get a title fight now. He'd take a title fight now. Realistically, he's looking at getting a title shot in the spring, if everything goes well."