HE is the Scottish boxer described as one of the best ever at his weight.

Now Ken Buchanan, the former world lightweight champion, is closer to being immortalised in bronze.

The sculptor Alan Herriot has captured the Edinburgh boxer in his prime in a maquette, or model, form before it is rendered in metal at a larger size.

The sculpture, funds for which were raised in a long campaign by the Ken Buchanan Foundation, is due to be cast in bronze in Powderhall Bronze in the north of the capital city.

Where the eventual statue will be situated is still a moot point - potential places for the tribute to the boxer, now 73, to be placed include the new mall at St James Centre, or the foot of Leith Walk.

That remains to be decided by the Foundation, who have spent nearly three years raising money to pay for the statue, created by Herriot in his studio close to Powderhall Bronze.

READ MORE: Ken Buchanan honoured in his home town

The former world champion, who won his first title in 1970, has himself inspected the maquette created by the sculptor.

The model shows Buchanan, one of the finest British boxers, and one of the best in the world at his weight, in his lean prime, complete with a Lonsdale Belt, which he won in 1973.

Herriot said: “I think Ken liked it, he came into the studio to inspect it, and he said he thought it was a good likeness. He said it was great.

“I based it on a series of photographs, and also some advice from the people in the Foundation.

“It will, when cast, be bigger than life size - perhaps 110% or 115%.”

He added: “They are still thinking of a site for the statue - one thought is the new shopping centre they are building at the St James Centre, and certainly a lot of people would see it there.

“I’ve also had the thought that it would be nice to see it put at Meadowbank [stadium], which is also due for a redevelopment.

“They are not rushing it: I am sure they will find a place for him in the city.”

READ MORE: Buchanan: 'When my time as a fighter was up, it was up.'

Buchanan, joined the Sparta club aged eight and turned professional in 1965, and went on to a boxing career that eventually earned him a place in the International Boxing Hall of Fame, to which he was inducted into in 2000.

He twice fought on the same bill as Muhammad Ali at Madison Square Garden.

Buchanan was voted Greatest Ever British Boxer in a 1978 poll organised by the sport’s British trade newspaper Boxing News.

In April this year, a gala dinner was held in his honour in Edinburgh, attended by boxing luminaries such as Barry McGuigan, Jim Watt - who he once fought - and John Conteh.

Peter Swanson, a Leith businessman and one of the Ken Buchanan Foundation, said it was still in talks with various bodies and developers over the placing of the eventual bronze statue.

“We started this two and a half years ago,” he said.

“Alan’s work is great and the maquette captures Ken perfectly, technically, and in his looks.

“Ken is a local lad, and we thought of this because we didn’t think his achievements were being recognised - he deserves it.”

Owen Smith, a friend of Buchanan and a former boxer himself, started the Foundation with Mr Swanson and John Swanson, Alastair Clive and Andy Crawford.

Mr Swanson added: “Ken was one of the greatest boxers in the world, in his weight, not just in this country - every body [in boxing] recognises that.

“You will never see a boxer with five belts, like he won: it will never happen again.”

Buchanan was continually at the top of his sport in the early 1970s: he won the WBS world lightweight champion title in 1970, defeating Ismael Laguna in Puerto Rico.

The Leith boxer was also the ABA featherweight champion in 1965, winning the British title in 1968.

He was also the American Boxing Writers’ Association’s Fighter of the Year, and in 1971 he defeated Ruben Navarro in Los Angeles to become WBC and undisputed world lightweight champion.

READ MORE: Buchanan on the dangers of fighting on for too long

In 1972 he fought an notable fight at Madison Square Garden in New York, with the then-undefeated Roberto Duran.

It had a controversial end, with Duran hurt Buchanan in the groin, and the referee awarded the fight to Duran.

Herriot has created sculptures for private commissions, as well as public bodies.

The artist graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, in Dundee, in 1974, and has produced work for the National Trust for Scotland as well as bodies and individuals across Europe.

His Highland Division Piper stands at the House of Bruar, in Perthshire, and has created a large equastrian bronze of Robert the Bruce in Aberdeen, and Bamse, the World War Two Norwegian sea dog in Montrose.

His recent work also includes a war memorial for Armadale, near Livingston.