Promoter Eddie Hearn has urged Ricky Burns fans to roar their man on to glory on Saturday night.
The 33-year-old from Coatbridge takes on Michele Di Rocco for the vacant WBA super-lightweight title at Glasgow's SSE Hydro where victory would make him Scotland's first three-weight world champion.
Burns weighed in at Glasgow's St Enoch centre at nine stone, 13lbs and two ounces, two ounces lighter than the 34-year-old Italian.
It is the first time since Burns, former WBO super-featherweight and lightweight champion who took the WBO inter-continental lightweight title in November, has fought in the city since losing to Dejan Zlaticanin in June 2014. He has lost three of his last six bouts but goes into this fight with back-to-back wins.
Hearn is looking for the 8,000 or so fans who have already bought tickets, some of whom cheered Burns at the public weigh-in, to help the Scot to a "completely unique" achievement.
He told Press Association Sport: "It looked like a year ago it was all over but now he has another chance, probably (a last chance) to regain or recapture a world title.
"I think he would openly admit this will be his last chance to win a world title again.
"Life and boxing is all about taking opportunities at the right time and this is one that has presented itself.
"But it is winning a world title at a completely different weight. It is a 50-50 fight.
"We know people are behind him. You have to get behind this bloke because he is a top man and a lovely man, but two; get behind him because it has never been done before.
"This is completely unique. I see he is the slight favourite with the bookies but he is up against it in size.
"Di Rocco is much bigger than him so he is going to have to use his heart and the crowd and energy and win it that way.
"But he mustn't get caught up in thinking: 'I am back in Glasgow, this is unbelievable'.
"He has to keep the same mentality that he keeps talking about which is 'it's just another fight' and stay switched on because he has to take this moment with both hands."
Hearn stressed that a Burns victory would not only see him make history but also help the development of Scottish boxing.
On the undercard are top local prospects like Charlie Flynn, Joe Ham and Lewis Paulin, all of whom will relish the experience and who will benefit from more big boxing shows in Scotland which will come on the back of a successful night for the headliner.
"We have boxed Charlie Flynn in Leeds, in Hull, and he has boxed on some smaller shows but he is one day going to be big enough to fill these arenas himself," said Hearn.
"But he has got to get there and if he can get there on these shows, he will be twice as big as he would be if he was travelling all around the UK.
"So him, Joe Ham, Lewis Paulin, all these kids coming through will be thinking 'please win the fight' and if he can win the fight we will be back in October and go again."
Source: PA
