When Daniel Dubois returned to the ring in December last year at Riyadh's Kingdom Arena, the young Briton was looking to rebuild his reputation.
A ninth-round stoppage at the hands of Oleksandr Usyk, challenging for the Ukrainian's unified heavyweight titles, had ended in just a second career loss.
Now, he had to overcome Jarrell Miller, the American once feted and primed for a bid at the crown when Anthony Joshua had been king of the pile.
Defeat in Poland too had relegated his standing, leaving him fourth down on a fight card littered with other jewel prizefighters of the division.
Midway through the battle Dubois looked to be caught in a tussle he could not escape. Having led the opening rounds before he was forced onto the back foot by his opponent.
A reverse here might well have spelled the end of any further title aspirations, and it appeared as if he could be taken the distance for only the second time too.
A secret weapon
But Eddie Hearn, Joshua's promoter, remembers what he saw ringside, when promoter Frank Warren brought Dubois' father Dave to the corner.
"The turning point was about the fifth or sixth round of the Jarrell Miller fight," he recalled. "He came back to the corner looking very sorry for himself.
"He looked like he was going to quit against Jarrell Miller and Frank Warren brought the dad to the front row. He screamed and shouted to him at the end of every round."
The ploy worked. Dubois found his second wind, and in the final round, launched a devastating combo to record a late knockout victory, reigniting his contender status.
Nine months on, the Briton will headline a record-breaking bout at Wembley Stadium, as IBF world champion no less, against Joshua in front of 96,000 fans.
Dave is reportedly expected to not only be ringside, but in his son's corner too, as a licensed second while the younger Dubois attempts to make history.
For Hearn, who will hope to see Joshua become a three-time world champion, that family connection is the ace up the sleeve, but also lays bare a weakness his star can exploit.
"I think Daniel needs that confidence [from his father]," speaking live on DAZN, during the public workout for both fighters ahead of their clash this weekend.
"He doesn't have a natural confidence and belief. It's definitely growing, but he's not a guy that's mentally strong.
"Physically strong, and physically dangerous, and mentally stronger than he was. But I don't want to find out how mentally strong Daniel Dubois is. I just want to put him to sleep."
A step into the bright lights
Hearn's words will not reverberate too loudly through the Dubois camp, but it might lay bare the gulf in experience on these occasions.
For Joshua, marking his fourth appearance at Wembley and third as a headliner, stadium fights have become the norm. He has been a generational draw to legions of fans.
Dubois, on the other hand, has only fought twice in stadiums, and only once atop the bill, when he was sent to the canvas by Usyk in Wroclaw.
Across his past two fights, he has been forced deep into the latter stages, in sharp contrast to the fighter who made his name on early knockout success.
It takes a special kind of self-belief and confidence to weather the occasion, even as the underdog. Dubois will hope that he has learned from his prior fights on the biggest stage.
Beyond that though, it might just be down to the father-and-son bond that can help with weather the storm of a modern-day great out to restake his claim on the world.
More on AJ v Dubois
- Joshua vs. Dubois fight guide
- Fight week schedule
- AJ-Dubios fight week live blog
- AJ vs. Daniel Dubois: Behind-the-scenes news and gossip
- Joshua vs. Dubois undercard
- Joshua vs. Dubois: How to watch and pay-per-view prices
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