In a fight that was just as good as their first, Kamaru Usman was able to defend his title against Colby Covington. While things were rather close on the scorecards, Kamaru says there is one major mistake Colby made.
The first time Usman and Covington threw down in the Octagon, it was a back and forth fight that ended with a fifth round TKO for the champ. Two years later they faced off again, and this time it was just as close, going to the judges scorecards with Kamaru winning a unanimous decision.
Speaking with Daniel Cormier, Kamaru had some praise for Colby and the new approach that he and his team had for this fight. However he says that they made a mistake by planning for the fighter he used to be, instead of the improved fighter that Kamaru is now.
“He went to a new team that was better strategically. Like, you can tell that they did their due diligence and they were trying to set me up for something. They expected the old fighter, from fight one. So they planned for that fighter, and their strategy was for that fighter,” Usman said.
“What they didn’t understand is that I was a completely different fighter. I know how to control range now. I know how to keep balance in my shots, and I know how to keep him away. When I want to get in close and really touch him with those big shots, I really know how to do that now, thanks to Trevor Wittman. So I think he was surprised once he got in there and I wasn’t that same guy.”
Kamaru Usman Was Impressed With Colby Covington’s Recovery
At the end of the second round, Kamaru Usman blasted Colby Covington with two shots that dropped him. However he was able to pull himself together and go out in the subsequent rounds, winning some of them.
Kamaru says that he was impressed and surprised with the way Colby could recover. He was also blown away with the wherewithal that he showed by trying to wrestle after getting hurt.
“He’s an amazing competitor. He recovered so fast. I just watched the fight back over, and from that second shot that dropped him, he recovered so fast and was so intelligent enough to go to the wrestling. He went straight to the wrestling, he was able to grab his leg, and I was surprised with how much he was still there and able to grab the leg, hide the head, and take those big shots,” Usman said.
“I wanted to put him out. Like I said, I’m kind of like a giant. Once I start to grow and grow and grow, it’s almost impossible to stop what I want to do.”
Even if he did not get the finish like he wanted, Kamaru Usman looked impressive in his win over Colby Covington. It will be interesting to see what is next for the welterweight champion.
