Bright Star gym has its first pro in Jacob

Jacob Lloyd in his amateur days with Mitch Roberts

TELFORD has a new professional fighter – and, in a fight scene full of false bravado and social media self-publicity, tall cruiserweight Jacob Lloyd has pledged: “My only expectation is to have no regrets.”

He and trainer Mitch Roberts are keeping their feet firmly on the ground.

Lloyd is the first boxer from Shifnal’s Bright Star amateur club to join the paid ranks. More will follow, pledged the outfit’s head coach Mitch, who has been with Jacob from the beginning of his career.

The pair are now making their professional journey together with major fight factory BCB Promotions.

Lloyd, aged 22 and from Shifnal, will make his bow in two months, possibly on BCB’s March 8 show at the Hangar, Wolverhampton.

“I’d be happy for that,” said Roberts. “My old trainer Pete Hickenbottom is on that show with one of his fighters, Ryan Woolridge. He always told me, if you’re going to go pro with a fighter, make sure it’s one you’ve had from the start.

“I want to honour that because I know how much Pete put into my career.

“It’s become rare for boxers to turn pro with their amateur coaches, but back in the day that was the common thing.”

Lloyd, who, by day, is a pastoral carer for children with behavioural difficulties, turns over after a 20 bout amateur career that sported more losses than wins.

The statistics are misleading. He faced some of the best heavyweights around – and all at senior level. Lloyd has served his apprenticeship against the best.

“I wanted to turn pro now with no regrets,” he said. “I believe it’s the right time and I believe in myself. I want to go for it now while I’m still young.

Jacob Lloyd…first from Bright Star gym to turn pro

“I think I have a really good engine, I think the pro game will suit me more. I’ve sparred amateurs and pros and the pros suit me more. I can take my time. Rather than load up on punches, I can work on the accumulation of punches. I think I’ll be able to break people down.

“I’ll be very excited on the night, but inside I’ll be calm.”

Roberts, who carved a successful amateur career with Great Wyrley ABC, is full of praise for his first pro but stressed both are taking it fight by fight.

He said: “Apart from one youth bout, all Jacob’s contests have been senior contests – and I think that will hold him in good stead.

“His very first bout, I took him to Leicester and knew I’d got something. He didn’t just stop the kid, he knocked him out.

“In any gym you need a shining light for others coming through and Jacob has been that. He’s taken fights at 24 hours’ notice, he’s never had more than a week away from the gym.”

He added: “We have our feet firmly on the ground, we have total respect for the professional game. We know how much we have to learn and the gym work that has to be put in.

“We’re taken it fight by fight. I’ve told Jacob the only expectation is to have a bloody good go at this game and leave it with all your faculties.”