Jason Quigley retired a few times in his own mind after the utter devastation of his failed world title shot.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, he steps back into the ring at Madison Square Garden - and is bullish about his chances of spoiling Edgar Berlanga's party.
The Donegal fighter suffered a broken jaw as his WBO middleweight world title contest with Demetrius Andrade dissolved in less than two rounds in November 2021.
READ MORE: What time and TV channel is Jason Quigley v Edgar Berlanga on tonight in New York?
Picking up the pieces was tough. "I suppose I did retire, to be honest," Quigley said. "My first thought was, 'aw, f*** this'. There's no beating around the bush about it.
"It was just so disheartening, I had put my whole life's work into that and to have it snapped away from me inside two rounds, like it was devastating to take.
"But then you realise where you've been and what you've come from and that boxing isn't just about one hit. I didn't really want to walk away from the sport.
"There's only one thing you can do and that's to lace it back up again.
"I’m still the same person, I’ve just had a few different experiences, a bit of maturing and a bit of learning over the last year or two. That’s stuff you can’t buy, or hand down to somebody."
Quigley, 32, took his time to heal up and to come back but he believes he is stronger for the experience. His return to the ring only happened in April, at the National Stadium, when he beat Gabor Gorbics on points.
He knows the role he is supposed to fulfil on his return to New York for this headline fight. Berlanga is a boxer on the up - 20-0, 16 knockouts - and on the fast track with Eddie Hearn's Matchroom organisation.
The recently married Quigley, who has delayed his honeymoon until after this fight, is primed to be the latest victim before a world title shot at Canelo.
“Early on in my career that would have been annoying and it would have gotten to me a bit," he said. "I understand the way boxing goes now and I’m very mature now.
"I don’t get caught up in what people say or think - unless it’s the wife, then I have to start thinking about it!
"That’s boxing. I go in here now, Eddie is obviously Team Berlanga but I go in and take him out, Eddie is obviously going to be Team Quigley.
"That’s the way this boxing game goes. But you know it goes give me an extra gip to go in and show these f*****s that I'm the man. Underestimate me all you want, but I’m the man.
"The thing about Berlanga, from what I see, he’s all about his looks, the high profile, talking and all this kind of stuff. To me now as a 32-year-old professional, all that shows is insecurity.
"I've never seen a man get so much hate online at Berlanga. I know it gets to him.
"Look, it is what it is, if he wants to be thinking about Canelo and slobbering back and forth to Billy Joe Saunders, that’s fine. That’s taking his eye off the ball even more so. It’s taken his focus off this fight which is going to play into my hands."
Quigley believes that if he rides out an early storm he can be victorious against his Brooklyn rival.
"He's got a lot of slack for his last couple of performances and going the distance and close decisions so I do expect him to come out fast and try to blow me out of there - because he needs to," assessed Quigley.
"For this to be a real success for him and to get a chance to fight Canelo, a normal victory will be no good for him.
"It's crazy, the pressure that's ,on him, but he has put himself in this position.
"He'll be really trying to put the pressure on early doors but once that doesn't work for him and he starts getting caught with the jab and can't land the punches he wants to, he's going to get frustrated.
"He's going to start panicking a little bit then because it won't be going to plan and then he'll start walking into shots. And don't be surprised if he's left on his arse."
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