A year ago, Tyson Fury's weight had ballooned to around 184kg after his licence to box had been withdrawn and he had vacated his three world heavyweight titles.
Twelve months later, and he is poised to complete a remarkable return to the top and set up a mouthwatering clash with the sport's superstar, Anthony Joshua.
Fury has not faced a proper test since producing the best performance of his career to beat Wladimir Klitschko in Germany in 2015 but looked surprisingly sharp against two vastly inferior opponents in his two comeback fights this year and, being only 30, should still have plenty of rounds left in the tank.
With Fury's training camps going well, he looks in far better shape physically and mentally than many were expecting and, while few fighters polarise public opinion in the same way as the Englishman, his skills inside the ring should not be called into question.
His opponent in Los Angeles tomorrow, Deontay Wilder, won the WBC title in 2015 to become the first American heavyweight champion in nearly a decade and has cut a swathe through this division, winning 39 of his 40 professional fights inside the distance. The fight will feature a fascinating clash of styles. Will the boxer beat the puncher?