Rampant Joshua out to ‘end’ Scot Cornish in commonwealth title bout

Britain’s Anthony Joshua has torn through his first 13 professional opponents like a battering ram since clinching a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics on home soil, and the hard-hitting heavyweight will hope to extend that rampant run against Gary Cornish.

Having stopped everyone that has stepped into the ring with him and none of his fights going beyond three rounds, the 25-year-old Londoner will now contest for his first belt, the commonwealth crown which once belonged to a certain Lennox Lewis, in a clash with Scotland’s talented Cornish.

Unbeaten Dillian Whyte is set to take on Joshua in December following a heated outburst towards his fellow heavyweight, but both must come through their next outings this weekend unscathed beforehand, and the latter is 15/8 with Coral to stop Cornish in the first round.

A world title shot for the brightest heavyweight prospect is inevitable, with Joshua having stormed to prominence early in his career, battering all of his 13 foes so far, and he is aiming to make another huge statement on home turf this weekend.

“Do I expect this to be my longest fight? Nah,” declared Joshua, who is 9/4 to halt proceedings in the second round for a third successive fight.

“He’s a threat, like any opponent, but I need to get rid of him in order to keep on knocking on the door of world titles.

“I know everyone says you need rounds but they will come. I’ll never try to go in there and drag out a fight, especially in a professional ring. If I can get Cornish out of there in the first minute, I’d love that. That’s what people want to see.

“We’re both big guys, heavy-handed, big guys are clumsy and make mistakes, but if everything goes to plan it shouldn’t be my longest fight. I’ve got to look at him as a threat I need to get out of there ASAP.”

Joshua knows that Scottish competitor Cornish will be his toughest test to date but, having viciously toppled his last 13 counterparts before confidently strolling back to his corner unhurt, the British bruiser believes victory number 14 is on its way.

“No one has come at me with much aggression yet, but Cornish will be a bit smarter than that. He’ll come with a bit more character and try to win in style rather than just pure aggression,” continued the Londoner.

“What we’ve always said in the gym is that if I can’t get past these type of opponents then I’ve no chance of doing well in boxing, so I can’t give him too much credit. I’ve got the tools to hurt him, I’m feeling good, in good ¬condition. I don’t think he has been in with anyone who brings what I bring.”

Cornish, a former football prospect turned boxer, is also yet to taste defeat in his professional career, rallying to 21 consecutive wins, including 12 by knock-out, and he is 14/1 to cause an upset in the capital.

An anticipated showdown with trash-talking Whyte is scheduled for December 12, providing Joshua makes Cornish his 14th victim and the former triumphs on the undercard against previous world title challenger Brian Minto, putting more than just the commonwealth title on the line this weekend.

Although, the heavyweight division’s most promising fighter looks set to continue his unwavered form in the ring and will hope that a potential commonwealth belt will be the start of plenty more success in the near future.

Watch all 13 of Joshua’s knock-outs so far before he takes to the ring for his 14th professional bout with Cornish on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports 1 from 8pm.