Johnny Tapia has good reason not to be too concerned about the outcome of his world featherweight title fight against Marco Antonio Barrera on Saturday.

The American veteran has already survived more than any individual could reasonably expect life to throw at him.

But the 35-year-old steps into the ring at the MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas ready to add another extraordinary chapter to his scarcely believable life.

His father was shot dead while his mother was pregnant with him, before his mother was kidnapped, raped and murdered when he was just eight.

Tapia has also walked away from a bus crash which killed a woman sitting next to him, survived a drive-by shooting and overcome chronic alcohol and drug addictions which led doctors to declare him clinically dead three times.

Little wonder he acknowledges that a glittering boxing career, which began when he claimed the WBO super-flyweight title five years ago, saved his life.

"I have already made my mark in the game," he said. "I do not need anything else.

"I am OK financially and I have a beautiful wife who loves me through thick and thin.

"Boxing has been so beautiful to me and I have done everything there is to do in boxing. But I do not see a bigger name than Marco Antonio Barrera."

Tapia and Barrera are great friends and the Mexican insists they will go out for dinner together whatever happens in the ring.