ENGLISH title hopeful Liam Conroy says he is ready to step-up and fight for top domestic honours.

The 24-year-old Barrow light-heavyweight picked up his third professional title last month when he stopped Steve Cooper in the ninth and penultimate round of their Northern Area title fight at Bowlers Arena, Manchester.

That victory was Conroy’s sixth on the bounce during a purple patch which has seen him also lift the British Challenge and WBC Youth Silver crowns, and has earned him the right to challenge for the English crown.

The biggest night of Conroy’s five-year pro career to date will see him take on reigning champion Joel McIntyre at York Hall, Bethnal Green on Saturday, September 9.

Conroy admits that facing McIntyre, who has won 15 and lost just one of his 16 fights, will be a big step-up, but one he feels he will be capable of handling as he prepares under the guidance of Preston-based trainer Johnney Roye.

“I can’t wait. It’s the fight we wanted,” Conroy told to iFL TV before watching MTK Manchester stablemate Jimmy Kelly beat Kevin McCauley at Wythenshawe Forum at the weekend.

“We planned to go for the English title next so I’m buzzing to get it finally nailed on. Whatever Johnney wants, whatever steps we need to take, we will keep building towards that. I feel like the English title is the level that I’m ready for now and once I’ve got that then there is no going back.

“It’s going to be a big step-up from the opponents I have faced before but it’s a step-up I’m ready for.

“He has done the distance before – 10 round title fights – so it’s going to be a hard 10 rounds, but I feel it is going to be the best you will have seen of me and I’ll move up another gear.”

McIntyre lifted the vacant English title with victory over Miles Shinkwin, avenging his only defeat, suffered in 2014.

The scheduled contest with Conroy will be the Portsmouth fighter’s first appearance in almost nine months and is the first defence of his title.

“I was on holiday when the fight got announced, so I’ve got eleven weeks now,” said Conroy. “But I kept ticking over after my last fight and we’ve got eleven weeks now, and we’ll prepare like never before.”

Conroy’s former Brook Street gym pal Ross Cooksey will step into the ring as a professional for the second time next month when he fights at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens.

Cooksey began his pro career in style with a first-round knockout win over Stefan Sashov in Manchester in April.

A coachload of fans will be travelling from Barrow to the fight on Saturday July 15. Anyone interested in tickets can call Ross on 07881 305058.