Anthony Joshua faces Gary Cornish on Saturday night. What do we know about the Scot?

Gary Cornish has the chance to shock the boxing world when he faces Anthony Joshua on Saturday night. What do we know of him?

Live Fight Night

The unbeaten Cornish (21-0-KO12) challenges for the vacant Commonwealth heavyweight title at the O2 Arena against the darling of British boxing - live on Sky Sports - so let's find out more about the giant Scot.

He looks tall...

He is. He's 6'7" and will therefore enjoy an inch height advantage over Joshua.

What about general size? Is he heavier as well as taller?

Difficult to say. It will be close on the night, given that for their last bouts, Cornish weighed 250lbs and Joshua weighed 248.5lbs. Looking at them at the opening press conference, there was little to choose bar Joshua perhaps looking a shade more naturally athletic.

Cornish is unbeaten and has been knocking people out. Why is he such a huge underdog here?

Well, it's true that Cornish has been taken the distance just twice in his last 11 fights and most of those were six and eight rounders, but it's the quality of his opposition that has been called in to question. Of course, the same accusations have been levelled at AJ's record but Cornish has fought outside Scotland just six times.

I see he didn't turn pro until he was 24. Was he busy as an amateur?

Cornish's story is an unusual one. He originally wanted to be a footballer and showed enough promise to earn a contract with Highland Football League outfit Brora Rangers. A towering striker, he took up boxing in a bid to improve his fitness but quickly fell in love with the sport and switched full-time as a 19-year-old.

Is that where he's from - the Highlands?

Oh yes. The 28-year-old is from Inverness and even calls himself 'Highlander.'

Some of the proudest Scots hail from that area, don't they?

Very much so. Cornish is no different. Across his chest he has a tattoo that says 'Alba gu bràth' - which translates roughly as 'Scotland Forever.'

Ok. So who has he actually fought? Anyone we might have heard of?

A couple. Not literally a couple. That would be weird... and Paul Butlin and Larry Olubamiwo are definitely not a couple... but yeah, he dispatched Butlin in five rounds in 2013. Three months later, AJ stopped Butlin in two in his second professional bout. Cornish also managed to beat former Southern Area champion Olubamiwo too, but that was via points over eight rounds.

What does he make of his own chances?

He seems like the quiet type but he's confident enough. Of this being a potential step up in class, he told us: "I've sparred top heavyweights, world class. Proper sparring. Going to war. Guys like Tyson Fury and Kubrat Pulev taking it to me - so I've felt power."

Does AJ give him a prayer?

It seems the Olympic champion is respectful of Cornish's potential, at least. Joshua said: "Gary Cornish is a big guy, he weighs about 18 stone and he has never been defeated, even as an amateur. He doesn't know losing, he has the winning mentality, especially where there is a Commonwealth strap on the line as well."

Gary Cornish is a big guy, he weighs about 18 stone and he has never been defeated, even as an amateur. He doesn't know losing.

Has he picked up any belts on his way to the bright lights of The O2?

Sort of. It's only the IBO inter-continental heavyweight title, which he won in his last bout when he stopped Zoltan Csala in four - but on Saturday night he has the chance to become Scotland's first heavyweight Commonwealth champion and can also pick up the WBC international heavyweight title.

Not to be confused with...

Umm... a whirling dervish? Struggling here because there aren't many famous Cornishes. If you want to start comparing a 6'7" boxer with meat-filled pastries, I suggest you do it with a megaphone from a long way away...

How do the bookies see it? Anything worth a flutter?