Tony "TNT" Tubbs isn't fighting for another title shot. The former WBA heavyweight champion is fighting for his children.

All 16 of them.

Tubbs, 46, meets Butler's Brian Minto in the 10-round main event Thursday at The Harv on the grounds of Mountaineer Race Track and Resort in Chester, W.Va.

The pro fight guard gets under way at 7:30 p.m.

The 29-year-old Minto, 18-0 with 11 knockouts, is defending his West Virginia heavyweight title - which Tubbs cares little about.

"I'm trying to provide child support for my kids," Tubbs said. "I love every one of them and if I have money, I can take care of them."

Tubbs originally retired from the ring in 1997 because of drug addiction. He tried a comeback in 2002, but gave it up quickly.

"I had a drug problem - a serious drug problem," he said. "The 1990s were pretty crazy for me."

Tubbs, 44-10 with 25 knockouts, wasn't planning on his current comeback. He stepped in as an emergency replacement for an eight-round bout last July.

Though he lost that fight, he went the distance.

"That was with no training, nothing," Tubbs said. "I surprised myself. With the heavyweight division being what it is right now, I said to myself, let's see where this goes."

Two months ago, Tubbs knocked out Brian Sargeant (16-13) in the first round. He has been training rigorously ever since.

Tubbs runs four miles three days per week, jumps rope and hits the heavy bag almost daily and has worked out with current WBC and IBO heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko.

"Tony's in much better shape now than he was for his last fight," said Clint Calkins, Tubbs' manager.

Tubbs stands 6-foot-2½ and weighs 250 pounds. He weighed 228 when he earned a 15-round decision over Greg Page to win the WBA title in 1986.

Tubbs lost the title to Tim Witherspoon eight months later, then was knocked out in the second round by then-champion Mike Tyson in a 1988 title bout.

"I'm the last of the 15-round fighters," Tubbs said. "I can do things in the ring I'm not supposed to be able to do at my age.

"People are going to be very surprised when they see me. This kid (Minto) is going to be very surprised when he sees me."

Tubbs is scheduled to fight in Omaha, Neb., in February and in St. Joseph, Wisc., in March.

If Minto knocks him out early in next week's bout, however, he doubts he will fight again.

"That would be the Good Lord telling me it's not meant to be," Tubbs said. "But God works in mysterious ways. Look what He did for George Foreman.

"This kid (Minto) has had a lot of fights in the past year, but he hasn't been in the ring with anyone near my caliber. I've fought seven world champions. This kid has met his match. He's not fighting just anybody.

"He better bring his best to the table, because I'm bringing my best to the table," he added.

Calkins said that if Tubbs sticks to his game-plan, he can win the fight.

"Brian Minto hasn't fought anybody with anywhere near the experience Tony has," Calkins said. "Tony's a good defensive fighter who frustrates his opponent.

"He's not a brawler. He hasn't taken a lot of punishment."

Should Tubbs win, he plans to fight five times in 2005.

"That should give me a top-10 ranking again and some big-money fights," Tubbs said. "I'm looking to make some money."

And should he lose?

"I'll tip my cap to the better fighter," he said. "There's no animosity here. Minto's an up and comer. He's got a future. But he has to get through TNT."

"I've been around Tony for about 15 years now," Calkins said. "I respect his judgment. He'll know when it's time to get out. Until then, I believe in him and support him."