Kevin Mitchell insists the rocky lifestyle and knock-out defeats that held his world championship dream back are finally behind him.
The Romford puncher fights Daniel Estrada at the O2 Arena on Saturday, live on Sky Sports 1 HD at 8pm, for the right to challenge WBC lightweight champion Jorge Linares.
It is his fourth and final run at a championship having lost two title matches and had a third taken due to weight irregularities before his last fight.
But Mitchell believes defeating his personal demons, his greatest opponent, clears the pathway to a title belt.
“Experiencing difficulty outside the ring makes it easier in the ring,” he told Sky Sports. “I used to be broke, living off nothing and trying to get by. I was used to being hungry. As a youngster my biggest fights were outside of the ring. Now as a man my life is in perspective.
“As a young kid I didn’t have any money but then earned quite a bit when I was 18. I spent it ridiculously, I didn’t know what I was doing with money. I went out drinking and clubbing and doing stupid things.
“It’s a bit of a mad lifestyle, isn’t it? All fighters are different from the average man, you don’t do this job unless you’re different.
“People mature at different ages – physically I matured at 18 but mentally I’ve got my things together and got myself in line in the past two years.
“Now, as a 30-year-old man, I understand what has to be done and how to do it. I train hard, stay in the gym and stay focused.”
'Time is running out'
Mitchell has only lost twice in 40 fights but both were brutal stoppages in world title encounters by Michael Katsidis and Ricky Burns.
A rugged beating of Ghislain Maduma in his most recent outing didn’t deliver the promised IBF lightweight title shot as Mitchell violated weight regulations by putting on too many post-weigh-in pounds.
But that blip hasn't dwindled his motivation - the onset of fatherhood and the straightening out of his personal life has refocused Mitchell .
“Nothing’s changed, my dream as a kid was to be world champion,” he said. “I used to watch Naseem Hamed, Nigel Benn and Frunk Bruno and I dreamed of that lifestyle – I wanted to be champion of the world, I wanted to be successful and I wanted to be known.
“My children now motivate me – I want to earn enough money to make them secure so they don’t have to live the life I did as a kid, so they don’t get in trouble.
“Having kids makes you realise you have motivation. I’ve got a talent and I’ve got to use it – time is running out, I haven’t got long left.
“I had my children young, I thought I was a man but didn’t realise until I got a bit older that I was still a baby. They’ve definitely put the world championship in perspective.
“I’m at my best when my back is against the wall and I feel a bit like that now.”
Fight Night Live, featuring Mitchell v Estrada, is Saturday at 8pm on Sky Sports 1 HD.