This Saturday Quebec's two boxing greats will finally meet in the ring.
Light Heavyweights Jean Pascal and Lucien Bute will clash at the Bell Centre in a bout that had to be postponed for eight months while Bute recovered from hand surgery.
Bute is the fan favourite and the former IBF Super Middleweight champion treated fans to a public training session on Monday.
He was humbled, as always, by the adoration shown by the crowd.
"I came here 11 years ago, the people are in love with me and I appreciate more this thing," said Bute.
His trainer Stephan Larouche is trying to encourage Bute to enjoy the moment.
"This is the experience. You're not a young lion that's all excited. You know what it is you know what it takes to get there, you've been there, you want to go back there, but appreciate the moment," said Larouche.
Known for his technical but unorthodox style, Bute will attempt to put behind him a loss to Carl Froch in 2012, a broken hand and 14 months of ring rust.
The Bute camp has a solid game plan in place for his opponent Pascal but it does not include exchanging verbal blows.
I'm staying focus for my side, my strategy. There's nothing to stop me Saturday night, nothing. I'm very confident," Bute said.
