Steven Nelson has done his best to make the most out of a bad situation.

Life hasn’t been kind to the 36-year-old. He’s at the age where fighters have either won a world title or at least fought for one. He hasn’t done either.

This Saturday night, at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada, Nelson (20-0, 16 KOs) will have his first step-up fight when he takes on the undefeated Diego Pacheco.

On paper, and according to most, Nelson is supposed to lose. The Ring’s No. 3 rated super middleweight is ranked highly in all four sanctioning bodies and is just a few steps away from fighting for a world title. Nelson though, still has work to do. But he knows everything ends with a loss in the main event.

Pacheco, by and large, has nothing to worry about from Nelson’s point of view. A setback for the 23-year-old isn’t a big deal but a setback for him is the end of the world.

“He’s 23, from Cali, Mexican, signed to Matchroom, he takes a loss - he can bounce back,” explained Nelson during a recent press conference. “I’m 36, from Omaha, Nebraska, been through hell to get here. I mean hell. Not just in boxing. Military, streets, been shot, been blown up, injuries, been through everything. I can’t afford to lose.”

Life lessons molded Nelson into the fighter, and more importantly, the man he is today. Still, sentimental value aside, oddsmakers don’t like chances.

Those in boxing circles aren’t only of the belief that Nelson will fold but ultimately, that he’ll crumble underneath the bright lights associated with his first main event. Your opinion, however, won’t shake the confidence of the old vet.

As for those who are currently writing his obituary, he can’t wait to look you square in the eyes and laugh.

“If you think I’m coming to this fight just to lay down, I’m not. So he can make it hard or it can be easy but I’m not losing.”