UFC 268: Kamaru Usman targeting boxing match with Canelo Alvarez – ‘that’s something that scares me’
- UFC welterweight champ plans talks with Dana White after Saturday’s rematch with Colby Covington
- ‘If it makes money, it makes sense,’ says Usman – ‘what’s wrong with giving [Canelo] a different look?’
Kamaru Usman has his hands full with a welterweight title defence against Colby Covington at UFC 268 this Saturday night in New York City. But if all goes according to plan, it sounds like “The Nigerian Nightmare” will start chasing a very different kind of challenge: a boxing match with four-division champion and pound-for-pound king Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.
The 34-year-old Usman (19-1), who sits top of the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings, made his case for a showdown with the Mexican pugilist at Wednesday’s UFC 268 media day.
“When have we seen a pound-for-pound mixed martial artist go up against a pound-for-pound boxer, both in their prime? Not when they‘re old and retired and you’re trying to pull them back – [when they’re] both in their prime,” Usman said.
“That’s something I’m looking to do. That’s something that scares me. That’s something that gets me up in the morning. That’s something that I might risk leaving my daughter for another 12 weeks for. We’ll see. That’s something that I’m looking for.”
As luck would have it, Canelo will also be in action this weekend. He will look to defend his WBA, WBC, and WBO super middleweight titles against Caleb Plant on Saturday night in Las Vegas, while simultaneously attempting to swipe the American’s IBF super middleweight strap.
Usman will surely miss Canelo’s fight because of his own obligations, but will not doubt be paying close attention to the result. And once the dust has settled, he intends to broach the idea of a cross-sport super fight with UFC president Dana White.
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“We‘ll see who does better,” the UFC champ said of Canelo. “We’re both in the business of entertainment these days. He’s going to entertain on the same night. So are we. We’ll see who does better numbers, then we’re going to have a discussion with the pound-for-pound best promoter in the game in Dana White, and we’ll try to make it happen.
“That‘s one thing I love about Dana: if it makes money it makes sense, so hopefully we have that discussion.”
If Usman lands a blockbuster boxing match with Canelo, he will certainly enter the ring as a gargantuan betting underdog. It’s the seeming impossibility of the task, however, that motivates him.
“He wouldn‘t dare come in here [to MMA], let’s be honest,” Usman said.
“That’s the thing is, we [MMA fighters] have to pursue these guys because we’re willing to take that risk. I don’t know if they’re willing to pursue us. There’s a reason that [this fight] scares me. He’s a master at his craft.
“He‘s used to these boxers and the boxing speed and the boxing movements,” Usman added, planting the seeds for a historic upset. “We’re different. Sometimes different can be good. What’s wrong with giving him a different look?”
