Anthony Crolla holds no fears about facing Vasyl Lomachenko - the finest boxer on the planet - and why should he?
Supposedly scratched and dented on boxing's congested scrapheap, Crolla's relocation to Joe Gallagher's base over a decade ago started out as a mission to rescue his career. Ten years later, with a world title reign to his name, Crolla has emerged from multiple setbacks to be standing across the ring from one of the grandest names sport has to offer.
Turning up at Gallagher's gym, Crolla had enjoyed an indifferent start to his professional crusade with performances suggesting that domestic level, still a greatly respected platform, was perhaps his ceiling. An inexplicable defeat to Youssef Al Hamidi in bout number nine raised questions in 2008; and when Crolla was outlasted by Leeds' Gary Sykes the following year, the likeable Mancunian, universally loved within his trade, was at a point where one more defeat could potentially be catastrophic.
"It was hard to accept, but I always knew what I was capable of," reflects Crolla, who faces Lomachenko for the Ukrainian's WBA and WBO titles at lightweight on Saturday morning at 3am live on Sky Sports.
"It's pretty much unheard of that a prospect has two losses in his first 15 or so fights and then goes on to achieve what I've accomplished, but I never once gave up hope that I could go a long way in the sport. I think after the Sykes fight, I knew some things had to change, but when I arrived at Joe's gym, I had no idea that my career would turn out the way it has."
Despite the success achieved by Crolla in recent times, there's also been multiple obstacles to overcome. A stunning rivalry with Derry Mathews halted his momentum somewhat in 2012, and there was an incident at his home in Manchester in 2014 when he was viciously assaulted when disturbing burglars. Lying in a hospital bed unsure where his career - or life, for that matter - was heading, Crolla made a miraculous recovery and became world champion the following year, much to the acclaim of boxing fans everywhere. With enough material already reserved to compile a stunning fairytale, how does Crolla motivate himself to achieve even more?
"That's a good question. When you've been as high as I've been, then trying to get there again is harder the second time around, because you want it so much the first time. The way I'm motivated today is my family. Everything I do is for them, and if I can go over there and do this, then just think what that means for me and my family.
"Also, it's not just them. I've got people coming up to me on the street wishing me luck, and there's all the people that are coming over to support me. That means so much to me, and the fact I've got so many people joining me on this trip and backing me gives me all the motivation that I need."
Awaiting Crolla in just a matter of days is a challenge that nobody apart from his close circle is expecting him to pass. In Lomachenko, Crolla is facing a boxing wizard who has been a revelation in the paid code after relinquishing his amateur vest following the 2012 Olympics in London.
Defeat in his second fight to Orlando Salido brought out familiar cries of amateur and professional boxing being two separate entities, but Lomachenko has rebounded expertly since the Salido upset, with wins over high class operators such as Gary Russell Jr and Jorge Linares - the latter a past foe of Crolla's - and although mightily impressed with Lomachenko, the fanatical Manchester United supporter is insistent he can be beaten again.
"Listen, I'm wise and honest enough to realise what I'm up against, as he's an unbelievable fighter, and he's beaten someone who beat me twice.
"He's someone who's been down, he's been hit, and he's been beat before, so all this stuff about him being unbeatable and untouchable is nonsense.
"It's going to be hard, but for once the pressure is off me, and I think that will bring out the best version of me. I'm not here for the money or the experience, I'm here to try as hard as I can, and I'll be giving it absolutely everything I have to try and get the win and to bring the world title home with me."
Vasyl Lomachenko defends the WBA and WBO lightweight titles against Anthony Crolla on Saturday morning at 3am, live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action.