Professional boxing is returning to Butler — with a twist.

Jim Emrick (7-1, 2 KOs) will face William Shahan (7-0, 6 KOs) of Glenville, W.Va., in a six-round heavyweight main event Dec. 27 at the Butler Cubs Hall.

The card will feature four pro bouts and seven amateur fights, including two with Emrick's 11-year-old sons, Jimmy and Justin, who will compete in three-round bouts against two youngsters from Philadelphia.

Jimmy and Justin Emrick won the U.S. Junior Nationals in their age group last year in Augusta, Ga. Most of their fights have been in the Washington, D.C. area.

"This is like a dream come true for me,"said Emrick, 38, of Butler. "Fighting on the same card as my sons — I never thought this could happen."

Butler middleweight Dave Cook (3-2) will take on Bob Wilder (2-3) of Akron, Ohio, in a four-round bout. Emrick and Cook both are coming off injuries.

Emrick pulled a bicep muscle in his shoulder in his last fight — an eight-round split decision over Dan Whetzel Sept. 25 — while Cook broke his nose Aug. 29 while getting knocked out in the fourth round by Dennis Hasson.

"I've been around boxing for years and I've never heard of a father and son fighting in the same show,"Cubs boxing trainer Don Spinetti said. "This should be a unique card."

Three Cubs boxers from Butler, Sam Stone, Luke Snyder and Matt Claypoole, will compete in the amateur portion of the card. Spinetti also has a female fighter, Candice Gerner, 22, who may be in the show.

"We're trying to find her an opponent,"he said.

All five of Emrick's fights this year have gone the distance and all have been victories. He's won by split decision twice, by unanimous decision twice and by majority decision.

By contrast, Shahan has gone as many as four rounds only once, scoring a unanimous decision over Adam Smith (6-18-1).

Emrick has fought 36 professional rounds against opponents with a combined record of 37-52-4. Shahan has fought only 13 pro rounds against foes with a combined record of 9-26-2.

"I've been in the ring against better competition,"Emrick said. "This is as big a step up for him as it is for me.

"Still, you don't stop six heavyweights like this guy has if you can't punch."

Emrick said his shoulder is not 100 percent yet, "but I can do everything I need to do in the gym. I'll be ready.

"Hey, I never thought I'd get this far in boxing. I'm 38 years old and I can't wait around and pick my fights. I've got to get in there and get after it."

The other two pro fights on the card include a cruiserweight and heavyweight match.

In a rematch of a bout two weeks ago at Morrow Field House in Slippery Rock, Julius Jackson (1-2) of Cincinnati faces Josh Harris (2-2-1) of Youngstown, Ohio, in cruiserweights.

The other heavyweight bout features Paul Zalus of Tarentum making his pro debut against Billy Greenawalt (1-4) of Youngstown.

Spinetti said the Cubs Hall can hold about 600 spectators. Ticket information is forthcoming.

Call Emrick at 724-496-4158 or the Cubs Hall for details.