Boxer Mike McGoldrick is taking a leaf out his fellow Barrovian Liam Conroy’s book in preparing for his fight against Harry Matthews in Bolton tonight.

McGoldrick is looking to extend his professional record to six wins from six fights against his opponent from Leeds and to build on getting his first knockout victory in that time, against Jevgenijs Andrejevs three months ago.

The 34-year-old light heavyweight is choosing to focus on his own performance, rather than what the man on the other side of the ring will bring, an approach Conroy has also adopted during his rise to being one of the best fighters in the country in his division.

Matthews has 46 defeats in his 65 professional bouts and should ‘Goldie’ impress in the six-round contest at the University of Bolton Stadium, he would put himself one step nearer to a possible future title fight of his own.

McGoldrick said: “With what I’ve learned off Liam, I don’t focus too much on my opponent.

“I know what what his record is and I’ve seen him box before - he boxed a lad that I know called Mickey Ellison - but I’ll just be focusing on what I’ll do, improving my boxing and going in there with my game plan, knowing what I’m going to do.

“I don’t really pay too much attention to what they do because if you expect your opponent to do something and they do something else, they might catch you out cold, so I’ll just focus on me and that’ll be it, really.”

Being in the same stable, as well as from the same town, as Conroy allows McGoldrick to get plenty of insight from his fellow fighter, who is seven years his junior but has more experience of the professional ranks.

“We used to travel down to camp together, but I took a new job in between the training camps this time, so I travel down on my own now,” McGoldrick said.

“It’s been different because I haven’t had the lads around and I’ve been doing around five or six hours’ driving every day, but once we’ve been in training, it’s been good to have Liam around because he’s obviously had his big fight he won last weekend.

“I was pretty proud to be part of the sparring he had because to know he can box at that level and I can spar with him is good for me because that gives me confidence to build from.”

McGoldrick wishes to thank sponsors Goldbet Racing, Furness Tiles and Flooring, DS Fitness, The Unit Body, Sian May Massage Therapy, James Henry Tyson Barbers, Subplot Records, NC Meats and Matty Green at Cumbria Strength and Conditioning for their continuing help.