Thursday 19 November 2015 11:02, UK
Anthony Crolla gets the second chance to become a world champion on Saturday, so who better to tell us what to expect than stable-mate Paul Smith, who went through the same process himself...
Ant Crolla is as confident and as relaxed as I've seen but the one thing he needs to do is remain focused.
Saturday night is going to be something else. Not just because he is getting a second chance to beat Darleys Perez but because of the atmosphere that awaits.
The Manchester Arena last time was special, but given what I thought was a joke of a decision in the first fight, it is going to be even louder, even more emotional this time around.
And the one thing Ant can't do is get caught up in that atmosphere. Everyone will be signing his name, 'One Anthony Crolla' and before he knows it he'll be involved with the crowd as much as the fight itself.
He has to keep his mind on the fight for 36 minutes, bell-to-bell and then he will become a world champion. He can't switch off for a moment because Perez is the sort of fighter that can turn it round. He is not world champion for nothing.
I think we are all sure we are going to get a better Perez but the one thing I can assure you is we will get a better Ant too. Working with him, I've seen how good he looks in the gym but above all, he has a new-found confidence at this world-title level.
But there are two sides to it and Perez will be a bit like the Arthur Abraham I fought, back-to-back. Abraham was lucky to get that first decision but he upped his game second time around and he wanted to show he was the world champion everyone thought he was.
We will see that on Saturday night and I know Ant and Joe Gallaher are expecting a twice-as-good, strong and fit champion. They are probably over-estimating him and that is no bad thing but I am expecting a Perez who is coming to try and put Ant in his place. I think all of us British fans, fighters and friends of his hope that doesn't happen.
The champion always carries pressure on his shoulders but there will be plenty on Ant too. He is the home fighter, he is the big attraction in Britain after that last one, but I know he will thrive on it this time. Of course we all know he was lucky to even be alive, never mind in the ring and certainly not fighting for a world title after what he went through.
I am hoping and am pretty sure Ant will do it this time and, as daft as it sounds, he has nothing to lose. He is so happy to get that second chance but I will say it again: just being part of the sport he loves, is something else.
I am so happy with what I've seen from my friend. His training, his sparring, everything looks really, really good. Ant looks the part. I actually think he has another level to go to as well and I think we will see that on Saturday night.
Ant looks the part. I actually think he has another level to go to as well and I think we will see that on Saturday night.
There was a lot of things in the first fight that he needs to brush up on: he was caught square too many times, he was hit too many times but that won't happen again. Joe will have broken down the first one and they won't be making those mistakes again.
I do think this will be a really tough fight, a bit of a chess match. I think Ant knows he can hurt Perez again but the champion will be trying his best to catch him. But I can't see either of them managing to catch the other and end it.
Ant's work-rate and success could get a late stoppage but that is a big ask, so I can only see it going to points with him getting it at the second time of asking.
