Brian Minto is awaiting word on a potential 10-round bout with Vinnie Maddalone Oct. 1 on Home Box Office pay-per-view.

The bout would be featured on the under-card of the Roy Jones Jr.-Antonio Tarver main event in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Minto, 20-1, has not fought since scoring a unanimous decision over Jermell Barnes July 12 at the Butler Days Inn.

"I'm getting impatient now," he admitted. "We've been trying to get the Maddalone thing done forever.

"This is the best opportunity for both of us. He has to take this fight. I'm hoping he does, but we're just awaiting word."

Maddalone, 25-2 with 18 knockouts, scored a fifth-round TKO of Shannon Miller (11-1) in a brutal bout Aug. 19 that left Maddalone with a cut over his left eye.

That cut may cause him to opt out of a rematch with Minto, who scored a 10th-round knockout of Maddalone in July of 2004 in Atlantic City.

"There's enough time for it to heal," Minto said of the cut. "I hope he doesn't take this chance lightly. It's a pay-per-view show and those opportunities don't happen very often."

Promoter and trainer Lou Duva said it may not happen again this year.

"ESPN's boxing series is over now," Duva said. "HBO has one more show coming and Show-Box has another one scheduled and that's about it."

Duva does not have another fight lined up for Minto should the Maddalone fight not happen.

Minto's contract with Duva Boxing, Inc. calls for four fights in 12 months. The 12-month period runs out at the end of October and Minto has had only three fights since joining the Duva camp.

"If they don't get me a fight next month, it's breach of contract and I'm walking," Minto said. "I have to be more active than this.

"I won't settle for another club show. That would be ridiculous. There has to be a promoter out there somewhere who can get me on TV.

"I'm willing to take a chance (with a top-level opponent) at this point. I don't care. I want a big fight," Minto added.

Duva said he has no knowledge of Minto's contract with the organization.

"My son (Dino) handles that," he said. "I know nothing about it. I've put the word out there to promoters all over the place that Brian's available.

"Maybe I'll get two calls tomorrow, maybe three … maybe none. We'll see."

Duva said he expects to hear from Maddalone's camp in a few days.

"Brian needs to know pretty soon so we can get him ready," trainer Tom Yankello said. "We haven't done much in the past couple of weeks. With nothing going on, we've been resting him."

Minto dropped his weight to 199 pounds recently to add more muscle mass. He's back up to 212 pounds now.

"If Maddalone does fight me, it will be a good fight," he said. "But he's not gonna hit me like he did the first time. My defense is much better.

"I've been working out. I'm turning my body around. I'm in good condition and I'm ready to fight. All I need is an opponent."