John Ryder tells Sky Sports about a long-awaited return, fresh world title ambitions, and how he prepared Callum Smith for Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez.
Ryder came into 2020 with high hopes. He'd impressed in a world title challenge to Smith at the back end of 2019, suffering in his view a contentious loss, and felt confident he would soon get another shot at glory.
Then the pandemic arrived and despite a public courting of Canelo, Ryder has his first and only fight of the year on December 18, taking on low-profile American Mike Guy, 39, in Florida.
But after more than six months of consistent training, the 32-year-old Londoner is just grateful to get into the ring.
"Realistically, it's not what I want, but it's what I need," Ryder told Sky Sports, speaking on the phone after going through mandatory health checks for his license to fight in the USA.
"I just want to get back out and get back fighting. Obviously, things went against me last November and I'd have hoped to be having a world title defence early in the year.
"But the decision went against me and we had the coronavirus and it's been a slow burner for everyone. I'm not alone in this. We've all been held back."
Ryder is cautious to overlook his opponent, a boxer with just 14 fights in 12 years as a pro who'll turn 40 in February.
With Smith and Canelo set to clash the night after Ryder's bout, he's aware any slip-ups could scupper an exciting 2021 in the super-middleweight mix.
"People say, 'Mike Guy, his record's not great.' He's had 12 wins, five losses and a draw. But, listen, he's still the most dangerous opponent in front of me. I've still got dreams and aspirations of becoming a world champion and he's there to spoil the party.
"He's a dangerous customer. He's short, stocky, comes out throwing hooks. I'm going to have to be on my guard."
In terms of physical dimensions, Guy is almost a complete counterpoint to Ryder's most recent opponent, Smith. Ryder went up to Liverpool, conceding six inches in height and six inches in reach to the WBA 'Super' Champion.
The Californian, in contrast, is an inch shorter than Ryder at five-feet-eight and is giving up a four-inch reach advantage to the Englishman. It's a novel challenge for Ryder, who spent a large chunk of his career at middleweight, but doesn't recall holding such clear natural advantages in a contest.
"It's been quite strange. I don't think I've ever boxed anyone shorter than me. He's shorter than me and older than me. He hasn't got much going for him has he, poor bloke?" Ryder joked, laughing.
Ryder may be relaxed and in a humorous mood. But he's conscious that mentally and motivationally, getting up for Guy is a significant challenge. He says his pure excitement to box again, will fuel his performance.
"Of course, it's easy to get up for big world title fights. But for me, we've been treading water and it's just nice to have that date, December 18, and an opponent named. I'm buzzing and, for me, it's another big fight."
It's been mooted that Ryder's presence in the USA in fight week for Canelo-Smith means he could step in as a late replacement for the Liverpudlian, should something go wrong in the build-up in Texas, although, he's not expecting that to happen.
"We'll be out there. So, if there's any problems when they (Team Smith) get out there, we can step in. I think you've got more chance of pigs flying though."
While Ryder still harbours hopes of securing the money fight in boxing - a clash with Canelo - down the line, he's not overly envious of Smith who hasn't fought since their meeting 13 months ago.
"It's a hard fight to step into. Callum's last fight was against me, so it's a long time out of the ring. I know Canelo hasn't been busy. But it's a big fight to be going into at a weird time."
Ryder sees logic in the theory than Canelo may have felt encouraged to make the Smith fight, because of the success Ryder, a man of similar dimensions, had in the Echo Arena last year.
But he also expects Smith to have made adjustments in his approach to tackling significantly shorter opponents.
"It's going to work both ways, because Callum's going to have looked at me having success as a smaller guy. I think he's going to make himself smaller, drop his body down and get his full reach, rather than punching down all the time.
"He's going to try and really use that length of his arms to his advantage. Joe Gallagher (Callum's trainer) is meticulous in his approach and it will be interesting to see what style he comes out with.
"Whatever Callum does, he has to do well because Canelo is in a league of his own."
Regardless of who wins out of Smith and Canelo, victory for Ryder against Guy could set him up for a challenge against Russian Fedor Chudinov for the WBA 'regular' belt.
He'd embrace that outcome, but isn't paying it much thought at the moment, and understands why promoter Eddie Hearn has secured the Canelo fight for Smith.
"Yeah, it's been mentioned. I need to get past Mike Guy first, but that would be great to go for the WBA belt in early 2021," Ryder said.
"You know what, I'm never really on Eddie's case. I leave that to Tony Sims (trainer) and Charlie Sims (manager), but he's spoken to me about the Chudinov title possibility.
"And you've got to see if from his (Hearn's) point of view. You've got one of the super middleweight stars in Callum Smith and the chance to work with one of the biggest stars in boxing in Canelo, so I'm sure that gets the mouth watering for him."
For a man with broken dreams of becoming a world champion in 2020, Ryder carries an air of serene acceptance with how things are and also exudes a sense of gratitude. He says he's fortunate to have good sponsors that have stood by him and that he's taking the Guy fight by choice, not financial imperative.
Ryder's also happy about the timing of the fight, which will allow him to enjoy a fulsome festive period with his partner, Nancy and his two children, Heidi and Brody.
"From my family's point of view the timing maybe isn't perfect, me going to Florida the week before Christmas, but for me it's great. I get out of the last bit of shopping and I get back for the Christmas dinner and a bit of turkey!
"For a long time, it seemed as though as we were getting dates around January 31st and I was having to have measly little Christmas dinners, saying 'no' to potatoes.
"But it will be nice get Christmas out of the way, get a fight date for February or March and get back into the gym for January 1st and crack on."