Forget the won-loss records of either fighter. They mean nothing to Jermell Barnes.

Barnes, 17-8 with five knockouts, will try to resurrect his career when he takes on Butler's Brian Minto, 19-1 with 11 knockouts, in the 10-round heavyweight boxing main event July 12 at the Butler Days Inn.

A former cruiserweight, Barnes was 14-0 at one point in his pro career, but he has dropped eight of his last 11 fights, including three in a row.

"When you don't have a promoter, it's pretty tough," Barnes, 30, said. "Ninety-five percent of my fights have been in the other guy's hometown.

"You're pretty much down three rounds before you even step into the ring in those situations."

Barnes said he has fought twice in his hometown of Rochester, N.Y., and twice at a neutral site. His other fights have been in enemy territory.

Barnes has been a professional boxer - and a full-time high school science teacher - for seven years.

"I won't give up my dream," he said. "I don't want to wake up one day at age 40 and wonder what might have been."

He has been knocked out only once in his career, and one of Barnes' three recent wins is a decision over former WBA cruiserweight champion Robert Daniels.

Barnes' first professional fight was in Butler, a four-round decision over Mike McGrady. He later decisioned McGrady in a rematch in Atlantic City, N.J.

"Jermell has had seven or eight fights over the past 13 months," his manager, Mike Mihalitsas, said. "He doesn't say no and he has a tough chin.

"All he's lacking is style. We're working on getting him into a top-level training program now."

Barnes is 4-1 in heavyweight bouts, but is treating the Minto fight as his heavyweight debut.

"I'll be fighting at 210 or 215, the heaviest I've been," he said. "That's my walk-around weight, so I'm comfortable with it.

"I'm looking at this as a new start for me. I know I'm going to beat this guy. I'll beat him 3 to 1 (punches landed), at least. He'll be shocked at how good I am.

"(Minto) comes to fight, and that's good for the fans, but I've watched him fight and I don't see anything spectacular. I've actually beaten better and I've lost to better," Barnes added.

What Barnes likes most about Minto is the 19-1 record next to his name.

"I'm going to capitalize on the magnitude of the record, not the magnitude of the fighter," Barnes said.

Rick Glaser, Barnes' agent, said the fight will be better than fans in Butler expect.

"Jermell is a tough, confident fighter," Glaser said. "He's not afraid of anybody and he certainly won't be afraid of Minto. He'll stand in there and slug with him.

"In recent fights, Barnes has stepped up in caliber of competition and while he's been competitive, he hasn't been good enough to get it done. That needs to change."

Barnes acknowledged as much.

"One loss can end a career in the fight game, let alone eight," Barnes said. "Nine or 10 losses would be devastating. Yeah, I feel like I have to win, either by knocking him out or coming close to it. There's no reservation on my part. I'm coming to fight - extremely hard."

Barnes never has been knocked out by a punch to the chin. He was floored once by a punch to the top of the head.

Minto said that doesn't mean he can't knock Barnes out.

"These people who think it's impossible for them to get knocked out. … It can happen to anyone," he said. "I know this guy's tough and he's not afraid, but if he stands right in front of me? That's what I want."

Minto is down to 204 pounds after training in California, Pa., for the past eight weeks. He has stuck to a healthy diet.

He is training with Tom Yankello at the Butler Cubs Hall for two weeks leading up to this fight.

"I'll be up to 210 or 212 for the fight," Minto said. "My wife and I had to scrap our vacation plans because the original (June 28) date of this fight got screwed up. I'm ready to pick up where I left off."

Negotiations are ongoing for a Minto-Vince Maddalone rematch sometime in August on national television. Minto knocked Maddalone (23-2) out in the 10th round on ESPN2 July 23, 2004.

The two have been clamoring for a rematch ever since.

"I may never get a break from the gym (before Maddalone rematch), but that's OK as long as it happens," Minto said.

Tickets for the Minto-Barnes fight card are on sale at the Butler Days Inn. They are $60 for golden ringside, $40 for ringside and $20 for general admission.