Michael Conlan's entire boxing career has been leading to March 12.
A lifetime's worth of work culminates as he sets out to realise his dream of bringing a world title home to Belfast.
After Olympics controversy, subsequent vindication and 16 wins as a professional, the 30-year-old will finally get to fight for the featherweight world title against Leigh Wood in Nottingham this spring.
And as the press and crowds came into town to look ahead to the fight, Conlan cut a rather uneasy figure as he stressed his eagerness to get in the ring and finish the job he's been waiting so long to complete.
In all of the fighting talk, destiny was the buzz-word most used to describe the date for Conlan.
"This means everything to me. It is my destiny. I have been preparing for this moment for a very long time," Conlan said.
"And I said when the moment comes I will grab it with both hands. I have said that many times, and you just have to go through some old interviews I have done to see.
"I have constantly said that when the opportunity arises I will grab it with both hands.
"I have all the respect in the world for Leigh Wood, but that respect goes out the window until after the fight."
Conlan added: "Everything happens for a reason. Things change very quickly. We are in this position randomly. I was going to 122lbs and then I got the chance to fight for the WBA interim featherweight title against TJ Doheny and I took it.
"That got me a quicker opportunity (for a world title), because the super-bantamweight situation was a little unclear and it was going to take longer.
"So it is destiny, and it is a matter of time before I become world champion."
Flanked by his promoter and brother Jamie, the Conlans were quite happy to cause a stir during a back-and-forth press conference on front of an excited Belfast crowd.
Perhaps lost in the fighting talk was an emotional speech from Jamie to begin proceedings as he described what a Michael Conlan world title triumph would mean to him and the people of Belfast.
Jamie told the Irish Mirror: "It’s destiny because he did state before his debut that he’ll win a world title within 14 or 15 fights - here we are.
"He stated that (Conor) McGregor would walk him out at Madison Square Garden - it happened.
"He stated he’d become the first world champion for Ireland in the male category - he did it.
"Everything he says comes to fruition, it just makes it a lot sweeter going into his back yard and doing it the hard way.
"When he said it’s the first step, it’s the first towards being Ireland’s greatest ever fighter.
"For me it’s destiny because said it. For me it’s destiny because of the way it’s all working out, the way his career has went, the way things have shaped up.
"It’s all fallen to this moment, to do it in this fashion, against this kind of fighter, this kind of team, against this kind of promoter.
"This is why it’s destiny."
Of course Conlan isn't the promoter's fighter in Nottingham, and as the Conlan v Wood press circus rolled into the Europa Hotel you'd need to be reminded that Matchroom Boxing chief Eddie Hearn was in Wood's corner.
But that didn't stop Conlan and a packed out press conference crowd making it their own as the Belfast boxer laughed and joked with Hearn.
Leaving the press conference, Conlan waved goodbye to 'Edward' in a cheeky exit.
And despite backing Wood in the March showdown, Hearn is looking forward to seeing exactly what the 30-year-old is made of.
Hearn explained: "It’s what we want, we didn’t have to come here but I just felt like this is how I want to build this fight.
"It’s Nottingham against Belfast, we’ve sold out at many price points already and we’ve only been on sale for like an hour. It’s going to be a complete sell-out, the atmosphere is going to be unbelievable.
"It’s a really good fight, it’s a fifty-fifty fight, you’ve got a kid who’s come back from getting beaten, having to pay for his own fights and ticket deals in Leigh Wood.
"To a guy who had a huge profile as an amateur, hasn’t been given everything as a pro, but he’s yet to be really tested.
"Maybe because he’s very good, or maybe because he hasn’t fought that level of opposition.
"People I feel want to know how good Michael Conlan is and you’re going to find out in this fight."
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