Amir Khan admits he will be cautious approach in Saturday's comeback as he targets a future fight with English rival Kell Brook at welterweight.
Khan cannot afford another setback when he faces Canada's Phil Lo Greco at the Echo Arena, Liverpool, in the first live boxing event on the new ESPN+ subscription streaming service.
The Bolton boxer, who trains in California, suffered a fourth career defeat when Canelo Alvarez knocked him out in May 2016.
Khan (31-4, 19 KOs), 31, intends to be careful against Lo Greco (28-3, 15 KOs), 33, and get a victory which he hopes will set up big fights later this year.
"When you get older, you think you're going to get hit more but it's not the case because I'm more smarter now than I was and more careful," Khan told ESPN.
"I'm going to be a bit nervous and cautious on the night because I can't make any mistakes at this point in my career.
"Fighting in front of a crowd is going to be different, how I'm sparring and being smarter in training is way better than I was a few years ago.
"It's about getting back in the mix again. Lo Greco has had more than 10 weeks of training so there's no excuses from him, he can't say he didn't have enough time. You're going to see the best Lo Greco there has been so I have to be really careful."
This is the first of a three-fight deal for Khan with promoter Eddie Hearn, who also has Brook (37-2, 26 KOs) in his stable.
Hearn tried to make Khan-Brook for two years running before signing Khan in January.
Khan insists he still wants to face Brook, who now operates at super-welterweight after losing the IBF world welterweight title to American Errol Spence in May.
But Khan, who was last world champion six years ago, intends staying at welterweight where the champions are Keith Thurman (WBC-WBA), Spence and Jeff Horn (WBO), who fights Terence Crawford on June 9.
"My aim is to win one more world title," said Khan. "I think the Brook fight is there and it's more realistic now I'm with Eddie Hearn as well. But I'm not looking past Lo Greco.
I need to look good in this fight. From there, I want to be back in the ring quickly because these breaks are no good for me.
"Making 147 pounds is very easy for me, it's my natural weight, even when I fought Canelo I was under the weight limit. I feel strong at the weight.
"Light-middleweight is not for me. I have to do the Brook fight at 147 and he will come down.
"The reason I wanted to sign with Eddie Hearn was because I wanted to fight in the UK more often. Being with a UK promoter means most of my fights are going to be here.
"10 of my last 12 fights were in America and I love fighting there. But now I've done that and achieved one of my goals of fighting in Las Vegas and New York, I want to get some fights in front of my own fans in the UK."
Khan's focus might be fighting more in the UK and earning a crack at Brook, but says it is important he maintains a profile in the US with his fight against Lo Greco, shown live on ESPN+, ESPN's new, $4.99 per month subscription streaming service.
"ESPN are showing the fight which is great for me because American fans like me style and it's good to know they will get a chance to see me," added Khan.
"I want to be in the big fights again and it's important to have a profile in the States again, so hopefully being on ESPN+ will help."