James DeGale and Chris Eubank Jr will be fighting to keep their careers alive on Saturday as it is hard to see a future for the loser.
Both English super-middleweights have lost world title fights in the last 15 months, and neither can consider another defeat at this stage of their careers.
"We both can't afford to lose," Eubank Jr told ESPN.
"We're both at a position that a loss would be devastating, you have a fierce rivalry and these factors are going to make it a classic fight. I definitely can't afford a loss, so it's do or die."
At a pre-fight press conference Thursday Eubank's father Chris Eubank Sr said he was "petrified" and believed the fight was in the balance. Asked if Eubank Jr would win he said:
"I'm not convinced. James DeGale has pedigree...it's real. I respect the man's abilities. From the physical point of view I don't think there is anyone that can stand with [my son].
"But it isn't just physical, it is also spiritual, and this is where Jr lacks that blessing. It's the only thing that allowed me to win so many world championship fights.
"It's the only thing that allowed me to actually put up with the bigotry of the media, the keyboard warriors, the critics. I've endured it all because spiritually I am buoyant.
"I don't know whether he [Eubank Jr] has that, so this is most certainly a 50-50 fight and for the first time I am petrified of what the outcome could be."
Eubank Jr (27-2, 21 KOs) was left wanting in his first world title shot a year ago, beaten by then WBA champion George Groves by scores of 112-117, 112-116 and 113-115 after Groves dislocated his shoulder in the last round.
His chances will come down to whether he can show enough improvement to beat an elite level fighter in DeGale, after failing against Groves.
The 29-year-old, who trains in a subterranean gym close to the seafront in Hove on the English south coast, admits a second defeat in a little over a year would be a crushing blow to his ambition of emulating the success of his father Chris Sr., a world champion at super-middleweight and middleweight in the 1990s.
His other defeat came on points to Billy Joe Saunders in 2014, but now he is working with American trainer Nate Vasquez for the first time after previously preparing for fights without a lead trainer.
Vasquez has been staying at Eubank Jr's house, along with American sparring partner Denis Douglin, after meeting him at Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s gym in Las Vegas last year.
"This fight I will have a game plan and strategy," Eubank Jr told ESPN.
"I will have training according to how James DeGale fights. Against George Groves I didn't have any focus -- I guessed it. My sparring partners for that fight were nothing like George Groves. I was sparring a 6ft 7in cruiserweight. We are doing everything completely different this time and you will see a new and improved Chris Eubank Jr."
Eubank Jr still talks about years left in the sport and yearns for that first world title win, but for DeGale (25-2-1, 15 KOs), there is little else to achieve after becoming a two-time world champion last year.
After a series of injuries and hard fights, the only question is can he show his skills, motivation and conditioning are not in permanent decline aged 33?
"It feels like I'm taking it back to when I was 22 against Eubank because I've got no problems now, I'm feeling great and there are no injuries," DeGale told ESPN.
That was not the case in December 2017, when unheralded American Caleb Truax deservedly beat DeGale on points in London, costing the English boxer the IBF world title in a fourth defence.
"It was nothing to do with motivation although Jimmy [McDonnell, his trainer] will say it was a bit," DeGale told ESPN.
"It was partly down to my injuries and I came back too early from shoulder surgery and I had problems with my Achilles."
Let's go! fight week! 🙌🏽#DeGaleEubankJr
— James DeGale (@jamesdegale1) 18 February 2019
Only 5 more days until you get to retire James. It's ok though you had a good run... just try not to cheat the fans & run around the ring all night 👊🏽 @jamesdegale1
— Chris Eubank Jr (@ChrisEubankJr) 18 February 2019
DeGale, who won the 2008 Olympic middleweight gold medal before turning professional, was back on form when he won the belt back via a majority points decision over Truax in Las Vegas last April, before knocking out Fidel Monterrosa Munoz in three rounds in a non-title fight in Ontario in September.
Crucially, DeGale has been doing less running in preparation for this fight to avoid injuries.
"Jim believes in hard work and dedication but these days I've got to train smarter," DeGale told ESPN.
"I'm training just as hard but I'm resting for a day or two more. I've had to stop some of my running, too much wear and tear on the body, and I've been doing a lot of swimming and doing a lot of conditioning on an Airdyne bike. It doesn't mash up your joints as much as running and I've been substituting running for that in my conditioning."
After winning back the belt from Truax in April last year, DeGale opted to give it up and avoid a mandatory defence against Jose Uzcategui. He wants fights back on home soil after boxing mostly in North America since becoming a world champion in 2015.
But with Groves retired, and Liverpool's WBC champion Callum Smith considering stepping up a division, this may be the last time we see DeGale in a high-profile, all-British clash.
It would be a good one to go out on, as the pair have bickered since a sparring session in 2012.
It is a hard one to call.
DeGale was considered the division's No. 1 15 months ago, but Eubank Jr will feel he is facing the former champion at the right time. DeGale has been in some hard fights, particularly the points draw with Badou Jack two years ago.
Some believe too many hard fights have taken their toll on DeGale, and fancy the heavy-handed Eubank Jr. But if DeGale is injury-free as he insists, then he has the skills, footwork and jab to prove he is not finished yet.