LIAM Conroy is letting his trainer worry about the strengths and weaknesses of opponent Chris Hobbs as he prepares to defend his English light-heavyweight title next month.

Hobbs, a former Southern Area title holder from Southampton, has been confirmed as the challenger for Conroy's belt on a dinner show in Chorley on Saturday, November 25.

But while the Barrow ABC product has done some cursory research into the serving soldier, he is letting trainer Johnney Roye come up with a game-plan for facing Hobbs, and is instead focusing on getting himself in shape.

“I know he got beaten in his last fight against Anthony Yarde, but you can't take much from that because Anthony Yarde is a really good level,” said Conroy, who was awarded the Mail Sports Performance of the Month Award for September for his title win.

“I know he's won on the road before; to win the Southern Area title, he was the away fighter and he managed to pick that up.

“I know he's an Army lad, so he'll be fit, but apart from that I don't know much about him. I've seen a couple of videos on Youtube, but I've left it to my trainer to look at him and I'm just concentrating on myself.”

There has been little rest for Conroy since he knocked out Joel McIntyre to claim the English belt at Bethnal Green's iconic York Hall last month, having had this date for his defence in mind for some time.

Indeed, it was the intention of the 25-year-old and Roye to stay in training following that contest so as to avoid having to go back to the beginning following a lengthy break.

“We want to keep the ball rolling and every time we do a camp we're just progressing off the back of the last one rather than starting from scratch,” said Conroy.

“We're learning new things and adding to everything we've worked on in the camp before, so we feel like I should be getting better every day.

“We haven't really stopped from my last fight. We just kept in training knowing we had that date in mind for the defence.

“But we've got confirmation from the Board they've accepted him as an opponent, so we've really dialled it in now with harder sparring, good strength work and I'm flying now.”

The showdown with Hobbs will mark the first time Conroy has defended a title too, having moved swiftly on from his Northern Area and WBC Youth Silver belt triumphs.

“It feels brilliant because I've never actually defended one, I've just moved on,” said Conroy.

“They've always been kind of a stepping stone, but to be defending it, it will be feel proper when I win this and I've defended it.

“I will feel like a real champion and I think it will take it to another level."