He powered through the 5am starts in a lonely gym and eight months of training with an eye on this day.
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The moment Dave Toussaint sits back and hits "play" to watch his favourite fight - the legendary Marvin Hagler versus Thomas Hearns world middleweight championship bout in 1985 - he will know fight day has arrived.
The unbeaten ANBF Australian middleweight champion (12-0 with eight knockouts) will face New Zealand's Gunnar Jackson (27-10-4) for the Australasian middleweight title in the main event of Capital Fight Show 14 at the Hellenic Club on May 4.
Not one to be overwhelmed by the big occasion, Toussaint will treat it like any other fight.
"I watch a bit of boxing to get in the zone a little bit. The Marvin Hagler versus Thomas Hearns fight, I watch that and just try and get focused and relaxed for fight night," Toussaint said.
"There’s a lot at stake for myself but I’m not really too worried about that. It’s just a regular fight for me, Gunnar is going to come and be a good fight for me, so it should be a good one.
"You’re thinking of the big picture [during the early starts and long training sessions], so for one session here and there it’s not too hard to motivate yourself.
"It’s only you in the ring so you need that motivation and you have to be able to push yourself. I find it pretty easy, there is always someone in the gym as well so I don’t mind it too much."
Jackson has gone the distance with reigning WBA middleweight regular world champion Ryota Murata and Australian great Anthony Mundine.
He will meet a determined Toussaint that has had May 4th on his mind for months. So long in fact that if he had a dollar for everytime someone said "May the 4th be with you", he would almost have enough cash to rival Floyd Mayweather's "money team".
So long, that the 5am starts are well behind him and Toussaint's training has tapered off.
After months of doing 10 sessions per week - two weights sessions, two speedwork trainings and boxing six times a week in sessions that can go for up to three hours - Toussaint can finally put it all into practice.
"There is a fair bit of tape on him, I know he likes to come forward a bit and fight on the inside," Toussaint said.
"Pretty good offensively and defensively, he’s durable and been the rounds with some good guys. I’m as prepared as I have been so it’s going to be a good one.
"The work is done now, we’re just tapering up a little bit. Our last hard session was on Saturday so we taper off from now and we’ll be ready to go on Friday.
"Training has been really good, I’m feeling strong and fit. It’s probably the best prep I’ve had in the lead up to the fight so I’m looking forward to Friday night."
Nobody has gone the distance with Toussaint in Canberra since his professional debut, and now he will be looking to emulate the great Marvin Hagler's part in boxing's most electrifying eight minutes ever.
CAPITAL FIGHT SHOW 14
Friday, May 4 - Capital Fight Show 14: Dave Toussaint v Gunner Jackson at Hellenic Club of Woden. Doors open at 6.45pm. Show starts at 7.30pm. Tickets from Ticketbooth.
Capital Fight Show 14 card (record read as win-loss-draw) -
Middleweight: Dave Toussaint (12-0) v Gunnar Jackson (27-10-4) for the Australasian middleweight title
Light heavyweight: Adam Lovelock (12-7) v TBA
Middleweight: Beau Hartas (3-0) v Ben Mahoney (4-0)
Super featherweight: Ben Dencio (5-1) v Kenny Tse (0-1)
Super welterweight: Ferdi Bartulovic (1-1) v Emmanuel Chol (debut)
Super bantamweight: Bianca Elmir (1-0) v TBA
Super welterweight: Abe Archibald (0-0-1) v TBA
