Mark Hobson fears the consequences of losing his British and Commonwealth titles would be career-threatening.

Hobson puts his cruiserweight belts on the line against former champion Bruce Scott in Huddersfield on December 17.

The home-town fighter knows just how much is at stake in his third domestic defence.

"If I lost it now, I don't know if I would ever be the same again," he admitted.

"That's even more the case with the way TV is playing out - we've no televised dates for next year as it is.

"It would take me two years at least to get back in the picture if Scott beat me. That's why I'm deadly serious about this."

Hobson, who will keep the Lonsdale belt with a victory, is hot favourite against a fading opponent who has fought only twice in the last three years because of injuries. And Scott was knocked out in four rounds by Enzo Maccarinelli 18 months ago.

But after watching stablemate James Hare shocked by David Barnes last

month, Hobson is not leaving anything to chance.

He said: "That just goes to show what can happen in this game when you least expect it.

"James is the best out of all of us in the gym, better than Dale Robinson and me. But you can't take boxing for granted or it will bite you on the bottom.

"I'm sure James will recover because he's such a talented fighter but it's a long way back. It's the same situation for me.

"Scott has been out for a long time and when he fought Maccarinelli he did look out of shape. But I can't think like that.

"I don't know how far back he may have gone but this is Scott's final chance to do anything. That makes him dangerous.

"You saw what Kostya Tszyu did on his comeback. He'd been out two years and never looked like he had been away.

"I'm preparing for Bruce Scott at his best - I've got to. There is too much for me to lose if I don't do this properly.

"Everyone thinks I will be too much for Scott and I'm confident because I'm younger, fresher and fitter. There is too much at stake for it to go wrong."

The Huddersfield Leisure Centre show also features Robinson in a British bantamweight eliminator against Chatham's Johnny Armour.

Jason Booth, who inflicted Robinson's only pro defeat in their classic earlier this year, will top the bill against Damaen Kelly for the IBO super-fly championship.