Former world title challenger Caleb Truax had been professional for a decade and come up short twice when stepping up against world-class opposition, suffering stoppage defeats first to Daniel Jacobs in April 2015 and then Anthony Dirrell the following year.

James DeGale meanwhile, had become the first British Olympic gold medalist to win a professional world title. The Brit had a surgery-requiring shoulder injury and upon his return, Truax was selected as his voluntary title defense, largely because he was deemed as someone who wouldn't threaten the champion.

Truax entered training camp at Lyke's Boxing Gym, in nearby Coon Rapids, at around 190-pounds and spent seven weeks preparing under trainer Tom Halstead's stewardship.

"It was a really good camp, I was super motivated to win a world title in my second chance," Truax told The Ring. "I had just bought a house and had my first-born daughter a year before. I needed the money and was hungry to go out there and change my life."

Truax and his team flew from St. Paul to Chicago, where they had a few hours' long layover before flying economy class to London Heathrow, arriving in the English capital on Monday morning of fight week.

While in London, Truax didn't venture far from the hotel other than to go to the Peacock's gym to work out.

Fighting overseas comes with its own set of problems with regards the local protocol.

"In the United States we don't have anything like the BBBofC and no one told me, I had to weigh in Wednesday to be within a certain amount of 168-pounds," he explained. "I think I had to weight 173 on the Wednesday and normally I would cut that the last day or even sometimes the morning of.

"They told me the Tuesday night, 'Hey, you need to weigh tomorrow and if you're not 173 you can't fight for the title.' And I was like, 'What? I had to cut weight twice. On Tuesday, I had to hit the treadmill and wear my sauna suit and lose a little bit of weight."

After making the check weight, Truax went to Thursday's press conference feeling hugely disrespected.

"100 percent, I couldn't believe it, the way he was flippant about the fight he had in-front of him," said the 16/1 betting underdog. "I remember him talking about how he was fighting this person next, he wants to fight George Groves again and needs to make this much money in his career before considering retirement.

"I'm just sitting there like, 'Hey man, you've got to fight me in two days, you'd better worry about me, not who you're fighting next or how much money you're gonna make.' He did overlook me. It was like I wasn't even there."

The following day at the weigh-in, Truax came in a pound inside the 168-pound super middleweight limit while DeGale came in bang on weight.

At the rules meeting, Truax found out he wouldn't be allowed to use his usual brand of gloves.

"I was an Everlast athlete, and had Everlast Elites to wear, and they struck down my gloves," he said. "So, I ended up having to use Grant gloves that were the same as DeGale, something to throw me off a little."

Truax woke up on fight day, went for breakfast before a swim to burn off the food.

That evening, Truax made the short trip from his hotel to the arena and arrived before his report time.

"I remember they asked for my music, and I had my cutman go bring them the music I wanted to walk out to.

"They didn't tell me that until time to walk down the tunnel. I'm waiting for my music to turn on and they're like, 'You've got to go.' And I'm like, 'This isn't my music.' And they're like, 'You turned it in too late.' I never really let that stuff get to me."

Truax worked his way into the fight over the first few rounds before stamping his authority on the contest.

"I remember after the first round and even the second round, thinking, I lost those two rounds on the scorecards, but was really happy with the way the fight was going," he said. "I was making him work really hard to win those first couple of rounds and stay in the fight.

"Then that fifth round was when I hurt him really bad and almost had him out of there, beat him from pillar to post the whole round. Credit to him, I hit him with some of my best shots, and he took 'em, bust his nose and killed him with some body shots but he kept on coming.

"There was never once in that whole fight that I think he was in control."

The challenger's hunger got him over the line, and he was awarded a 12-round majority decision.

"I remember going to London and I had $400 in my account, I had to borrow money the month before from one of my old coaches to pay for my mortgage," he reflected.

"I was hungry, broke and that makes a dangerous fighter - needed that win more than he did."

A few days earlier, Truax had decided to extend his stay in London along with his trainer for a few extra days. After the triumph, he enjoyed his time.

"We found a lot of places to eat," he said. "Walked around, see the city a little bit, road the tube."

His reception was significantly different when he returned home.

"All the local newspapers and TV stations were at the airport to interview me coming off the plane," he recalled. "It was all over the news, interviews galore. A week later, we had a big party at a local brewery - a sponsor of mine - 200 people came to drink beers and celebrate."

Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at elraincoat@live.co.uk and you can follow him on X@AnsonWainwr1ght