Lloyd starts as a 12/1 bookmakers' long shot to win the eight-man eliminator at the York Hall in Bethnal Green.

 

But the punching plumber from Telford believes he has the tools for the job as he gets ready to open his Prizefighter bid against Steve Conway - one of three southpaws competing - in the second of four quarter-final bouts.

 

"I love being the underdog and it suits me," said Lloyd. "There is no pressure and I'll be having a wager on myself to win it.

 

"With the three, three minute rounds, every man is capable of taking the trophy and I'm fit and feel up for it. You haven't seen the best of me yet and hopefully I can produce it on the night."

 

Lloyd - 11-1 and the reigning Midlands Area champion - is one of the more inexperienced members of the field and admits he is not the most refined in terms of skill.

 

But he is is planning to compensate by setting a high tempo against Conway, with the winner going on to tackle tournament favourite Ted Bami or late substitute Andrew Ferrans in the first semi-final.

 

"I've got to get on top of him and hopefully draw him into a battle," said Lloyd, who spends hours honing his fitness with runs up the fearsome Wrekin hill in Shropshire.

 

"That's what I like to do and that's my style of fighting, so I feel I've got to set a high workrate because I'm not the most skilful boxer.

 

"Some of the other lads have got a bit more talent than me boxing-wise and can stand off and pick their shots.

 

"But like I say, I'm fit and ready and if I get through and Bami beats Ferrans I think that will suit me, because Bami likes to come forward.

 

"I've got to go hell for leather for three rounds and it's going to be about who wants it more and who is prepared to dig most."

 

Lloyd certainly wants it. The lure of banking a winner's purse of more than four times his previous best pay day of 6,000 pounds for his sole defeat to Adnan Amar is motivation enough to provide for three young daughters.

 

But he has been given added drive as he would love to dedicate an overall victory to the memory of friend Lee Jones, who died in August.

 

"I'm certainly not short of incentives," he said. "Winning the 25 grand would be a massive bonus and it was my daughter Beau's birthday on Monday and I was 33 on Tuesday as well.

 

"So it would be a nice way to celebrate and it's really an extra motivation for me to win it for Lee.

 

"I grew up with him and his sudden death from a brain haemmorhage knocked me about a bit.

 

"Everyone knew him as Floyd and I've got Floyd on my shorts and he is going to be an angel on my shoulder and looking down on me."

 

Michael Lomax rematches Craig Dickson and Ross Minter meets Nigel Wright in the quarter-finals in the bottom half of the Prizefighter draw.