“I had just one chance - boxing.”
To quote his hero Wladimir Klitschko, for Serhii Bohachuk failure was not an option.
The Ukrainian was born in Vinnytsia and by his own admission his youth was a struggle.
"I had a hard childhood. I didn't have money, I didn't have nothing," Bohachuk told Your Site.
Then he saw Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko. Their example opened his mind. "My favourite boxers were the brothers Klitschko. When I was young I followed the brothers Klitschko and I wanted to be like them," he explained.
"I wanted to be a champion. And they're from Ukraine and I'm from Ukraine. They're big stars and I saw that when I was young and thought woah, it's possible. If they can, I can too. It's possible.
"They really, really motivated me," he continued. "I had maybe little food. I had just the dream - world champion.
"I want to be champion and if the brothers Klitschko can, I can too."
He has been successful. In a substantial amateur career he beat brilliant Olympic gold medallist Roniel Iglesias in the World Series of Boxing. The only opponents who have beaten him in his 30-bout professional career are Brandon Adams and Vergil Ortiz. Now he's based in Los Angeles and on Sunday night, live on Your Site, will fight Shane Mosley Jr in Las Vegas.
"I just worked hard and now I'm here," Bohachuk said. "I have a house, I have a car. When I was young I didn't have nothing. Now I have [something]. I help my family, I help my family in Ukraine.
"This is my dream and I'm working hard. Every day I work hard. I know what I'm doing. A lot of people tell me it's impossible, I tell them it's possible. The brothers Klitschko can, Lomachenko can, Usyk can, I can too. Let's go, let's go, let's go. And I'm here now.
"If you're thinking, oh I can't, I'm tired, you're finished. This kills you.
"Everything's possible. It needs hard work."
He is relishing his fight with Mosley Jr, a former sparring partner of his at the Apex in Las Vegas.
"He's a good boxer," the Ukrainian said. "He's smart. This will be an interesting fight really. If he's ready for this fight it will be a very interesting fight.
"This is my weight division now and for me it's much better because I don't need to cut a lot of weight like in the fight with Adams."
He added: "With [the last fight against Radzhab] Butaev I changed weight division, first fight at 160lbs and I felt great and fought great, I think.
"And this fight even more. More power. More great."
He has an additional necessity to win on Sunday. It was be the first bout of his that his mother will ever have come to watch.
"Before my mother has been one time to Europe and one time to Moscow. That's it. My mother is 62 years old," Bohachuk said with a smile. "Now I can bring my mother for my next fight. For me this is really special.
"In Ukraine it [feels] impossible to go to the USA, Las Vegas, Los Angeles. We just watch it in the cinema, it's like impossible. Now I can show my mother everything. I'm very excited.
"The first time my mother will go to my fight," he continued. "Never before, not amateur, not professional, it's the first time ever.
"I'm very motivated!"
Watch Bohachuk vs Mosley live on Your Site Action and Your Site Main Event from 11pm on Sunday.
