CENTER TWP — Brian Minto turned 40 on Tuesday, an age that generally signals the twilight of a boxer’s career.

In Minto’s mind, he’s not finished yet.

“I didn’t turn pro until I was 28,” the Butler graduate and Center Township resident said. “I didn’t have 200 or 300 amateur fights like a lot of other guys.

“I’m still in good physical shape. I don’t talk slow. I don’t stumble when I walk. I don’t have the wear and tear on me. I’m still learning, though I do consider myself a veteran of the sport.”

Minto (39-8-4) has accepted an offer to compete in a Super Eight cruiserweight tournament March 28 in New Zealand. The event consists of three-round bouts with the winner potentially fighting nine rounds on the night.

Minto will be the only “wild-card” entrant as the other seven fighters are from the New Zealand region.

“I’ve seen tape on some of the guys and the man who will train me over there, Chris Martin, has seen a number of them fight and has information about them,” Minto said. “I’m not going into this totally blind.”

Minto’s last two fights were in New Zealand. He retired from the bout after seven rounds against unbeaten Joseph Parker July 5 of last year and upset Shane Cameron (29-3), who retired after seven rounds, in December of 2013.

Parker is fighting in New Zealand on March 5. Minto will be over there training and sparring by then.

“My name is prime over there,” Minto said. “They want to see me do well. I believe I’ll get a fair shake and that’s all I can ask.”

While friends and acquaintances have suggested that Minto retire, he insists on going out on his terms.

He said the doubters just add fuel to his fire.

“I love proving people wrong when they say I can’t do something,” he said. “I’ve done it before. I know I can still fight. I haven’t lost any quickness or strength.

“Cruiserweight is better for me at this stage of my career. Fighting 240 and 250-pound guys could be a little much.”

Minto weighs 212 pounds now and the cruiserweight limit is 199. He has set up a home gym in his basement and works out there at night.

He has no promoter and is self-managed these days.

“They’re willing to invest in me over there and I need to take advantage,” Minto said. “I know this is a must-win for me. I’m stressing this really hard and I’m training hard right now.”

Should Minto fare well in this tournament, promoters in New Zealand told him he could get a cruiserweight title fight there in June.

Minto said he “wasn’t right” for the Parker fight last summer.

“My dad was dying, I broke my nose days before that fight,” he said. “I almost left and went home because I didn’t know if my father would make it through the next day. I should have gone home.

“I wasn’t mentally right for that fight. Boxing is such a mental game and if you’re not focused in the ring, you shouldn’t get in the ring. I made a wrong decision. But people make bad decisions in life and learn from them.

“I wasn’t going to go out like that. When it’s time for me to get out, I’ll know. But this is not the time,” Minto added.