KELLIE MALONEY, special advisor to Glasgow boxing promoter Tommy Gilmour, apologised to Gary Cornish yesterday in advance of the Highland heavyweight's IBO International tile bout against Hungarian Zoltan Csala at the Bellahouston Leisure Centre in Glasgow tonight.

"I do feel sorry for the fighters, in a way, because they are under immense pressure with me involved," she said. "They are the ones who have to take all the pressure. I just have to smile and answer questions.

"But I want people to look at me as a boxing person - not as a female or a freak show."

Maloney, who underwent transgender surgery last year, intends to make it up to 28-year-old Cornish, from Inverness, by using his American network of contacts to help further the undefeated boxer's career.

"Tommy and I have chatted about bringing in someone from the States to work with Gary's coach and I am in talks with three different trainers," she said. "I am a great believer that the heavyweights are developed in the States.

"The problem Garry has is getting suitable sparring partners but if he was in the States that would not be an issue. When I managed Lennox Lewis and his sparring partner got hurt we could get another one within 24 hours because they are two a penny in the States."

Maloney also revealed that an announcement concerning Cornish's next fight will be made immediately after he has hopefully taken care of business against Csala and a deal is already in place.

She added: "When I first saw Gary fight on a David Price show I said to Tommy I wanted to work with him because he had got something that a lot of heavyweights don't - heart.

"He has not got the skill factor yet because he had only nine amateur fights but he has heart and if you don't have that you might as well be let go.

"There are there three things a successful heavyweight needs: a straight jab with a good right cross, a solid pair of legs and heart. If you've got them the rest you can teach.

"It would also mean more as Kellie to lead a boxer to a championship now than it did as Frank. It would represent a bigger achievement."