LIAM Conroy hailed the 'amazing' feeling as winning a world boxing belt after a knockout display in Preston.

The 23-year-old Barrow light-heavyweight claimed the WBC Youth World Silver Light Heavyweight title with a fourth-round stoppage of Hungarian Ferenc Albert at the Guild Hall.

It was a stirring display from the BAE Systems worker, only his third victory within the distance in his 14-fight professional career, and truly a moment to remember.

“It was amazing,” said Conroy, who now has a professional record of 10 wins (including three by knockout), three defeats and one draw from 14 fights. “It was totally overwhelming and I don't think it has sunk in yet.

“I never expected to knock him out so early, it was unreal. I don't stop many, so for me to stop him in a world title fight is just brilliant.

“Everyone was cheering so loud, it was crazy.”

He added: “It's a dream come true. All the favourite boxers I have watched in my life have fought for WBC belts, so for me to have a version of one of them in my house is just unreal.”

Backed by a large travelling support from his hometown, Conroy had the better of the opening two rounds in the top-of-the-bill encounter.

Though both fighters were taking time to weight each other up – Albert having come in as a let replacement for previous opponent, the Georgian teenager Beka Aduashvili – it was the former Barrow ABC amateur who had the upper-hand.

Albert came back at Conroy in the third round of the 10-round encounter and started to show what he was capable of, but the Barrow man recomposed during the break.

With the words of trainer Johnney Roye ringing in his ears, he first knocked the gumshield out of his opponent's mouth with one big blow and, on the resumption, sent him to the canvas with a quick one-two combination and a left hook to the body.

Albert was unable to make the referee's count, to the huge delight of Conroy and his vocal supporters.

“I felt like I was comfortable in the first two rounds and I was easing my way into it,” added Conroy.

“In the third round, he had a bit of success and caught me a few times, but I went back to my corner and Johnney told me I needed to win the next one and I ended up stopping him.

“I had caught him with a right hand and knocked his gum-shield out and I think that hurt him. He had a break to get it put back in, but I got straight back on his case and put him down.”

The victory sees Conroy rise to seventh in the British light-heavyweight rankings, and follows his winning the British Challenge Light Heavyweight in February against Krzysztof Golec.