Kamaru Usman doesn’t mind all the doubters and critics.
The UFC welterweight champion has been calling out super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez for a cross-code boxing match.
Many, including Alvarez, have laughed the prospect off.
For one, they are calling it an obvious money grab. Then there’s the fact that almost everyone believes Usman would have next to no chance since he is not a boxer nor does he have any professional boxing experience.
But for Usman, he’s heard it all before as he brought up how he knocked out the “best boxer” in the UFC in Jorge Masvidal.
“You would think I train on how to punch people’s faces,” Usman said on The Pat McAfee Show (via MMA Fighting). “I put in work. I put in work each and every day, whether it’s boxing or kickboxing. We put in the time. With that time, I’m confident in my abilities. Listen, when I said, ‘Hey, Jorge Masvidal, you said you wanted a full camp, that you were going to be able to take me out with a full camp.’ I said, ‘Hey, this time I’m going to knock your head to the moon and I’m going to do it.’
“After I went out there and dealt with [Gilbert] Burns, I got him back and said, ‘Masvidal, you’re next. I’ll give you another shot, I’ll give you a full camp and I’m knocking your head to the moon this time.’ Everyone said, ‘Masvidal’s the best boxer in MMA.’ I sent him to the shadow realm. I think he’s still up there.”
Kamaru Usman: I’ve Done Everything I’ve Said I Would Do
Of course, it’s only natural for people to believe Usman has no chance.
After all, Conor McGregor — regarded as one of the best strikers in the UFC — struggled against Floyd Mayweather on his way to a 10th-round TKO defeat.
But for Usman, the two situations are completely different given the opposing styles of Mayweather and Alvarez.
“When you have the pound-for-pound boxer on the planet at the moment where he’s going to stand there, he’s going to bang, he’s going to fight,” Usman said. “He’s coming in there to hurt you. Then you’ve got the pound-for-pound fighter on the planet around the same weight class that can actually do it and both be in their prime? You’ve never had that.
“I’m not a big talker to go out there and talk a bunch of trash — I’m going to tell you what I’m going to do. I’m going to tell you what I’m capable of doing. I 100 percent stand by that, and you can look at every guy that I’ve talked about doing certain things to, and I definitely did it.”
For now, Usman likely won’t face Alvarez anytime soon as the latter looks set to have a rematch with Dmitry Bivol.
