Shropshire boxer Mark Lloyd is promising to put on a show for fight fans to savour in the biggest bout of his professional career.
The Shifnal plumber fights Jamie Cox in an eliminator for the British welterweight title at the Wolverhampton Civic Centre tomorrow.
The Commonwealth super-flyweight title battle between Birmingham’s Don Broadhurst and challenger Asamoah Wilson from Ghana tops the bill, and will be screened live on Sky’s Friday Fight Night.
But Lloyd believes his meeting with the 2006 Commonwealth Games gold medalist could prove a better spectacle.
Lloyd, who is sponsored by Autocraft at St Georges, is certainly hungry for success, having been denied a crack at current British welterweight champion Kell Brook because Sky officials were not happy with the match-up.
Victory over Cox – the rising star of the Frank Warren stable – would give him a second chance, but he starts very much as second favourite.
“I don’t actually know who would be more awkward, Kell Brook or this guy,” said Lloyd.
“He hasn’t lost a single round in his 10-fight pro career so far.
“He’s a southpaw as well and they’re always awkward to fight, but the one thing in my favour is that Jamie will come forward at me.
“A lot of southpaws stand off but he comes forward and that will suit me better.
“It should make for a good fight and there’s been a lot of people talking about it and saying it will be a better bout than the main fight on the bill.”
Lloyd’s preparations have included sparring sessions with talented southpaws Marcus Portman and Stuart Elwell, men who have both already fought for British titles.
Portman, the WBF light-middleweight champion, is also on the bill at Wolverhampton tomorrow, and is up against Mansfield-based Latvian Alex Spitko.
If Lloyd can upset the odds and send Cox packing, he should then get an overdue crack at the British welterweight title – fighting the winner of the contest between champion Brook and West Bromwich’s Young Mutley in Bethnall Green on May 22.
“The fight is the easy part,” he added. “The hard part has been done with 10 weeks of hard work.
“I’m feeling in good shape and I really believe I’m going to win.”
By Chris Hudson
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