UFC star wants to fight Mexican in battle of UFC and boxing kings
UFC welterweight winner Kamaru Usman is planning for his fifth title defence in a blockbuster match-up from arch enemy Colby Covington at UFC 268 this weekend, but the 34-yr-outdated is currently eyeing off another huge payday.
Coincidentally, Usman’s ideal opponent for the possible mega-fight is also fighting on Sunday (Australian time) – Mexican boxing celebrity Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.
At around the exact same time that Usman (19-1) will be defending his belt, Alvarez (56-1-2) will be striving to generate record by turning into the very first ever undisputed super middleweight winner from Caleb Plant.
And like Conor McGregor did from Floyd Mayweather in 2017, Usman does not see why he shouldn’t be involved in a significant-cash cross-marketing boxing match in the long run.
“Since when have we ever viewed the pound-for-pound combined martial artist go up from the pound-for-pound boxer both of those in their prime? Not when they are outdated or retired and you are striving to pull them back again. Both equally in their prime,” Usman said.
Watch UFC 268: Usman vs Covington 2 Stay on Most important Occasion readily available on Kayo and Foxtel, Sunday 7th November from 1pm AEDT. Order NOW >
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“I assume that is one thing that (will be) the most significant ever in record and that is what I’m hunting to do. Which is one thing that scares me, that is one thing that gets me up in the morning, that is one thing that I may well risk leaving my daughter for another twelve weeks for.
“We’re both of those in the organization of enjoyment. He’s heading to entertain on the exact same evening, so are we, we’ll see who does improved quantities, and then we’re heading to sit there and we’ll have a discussion with the pound-for-pound finest promoter in the sport Dana White and we’ll consider and make one thing come about.”
But Usman’s fast opponent Covington quoted his hero Donald Trump in dismissing Usman’s lofty ambition as “fake news”.
“He just needs a way out for immediately after I beat him up on Saturday evening and for him to say he was not targeted, it just provides him an exit approach, ‘Oh, I was focusing on Canelo, I was focusing on heading up a fat, I was not targeted on Colby’,” Covington said.
The war of text concerning Usman and Covington ongoing on Thursday (Australian time) as they get ready for their key party showdown in New York.
Covington (sixteen-2) is predicting he will inflict “life-altering damage” to Usman at Madison Square Yard – so considerably so that Usman will “probably retire” and won’t be able to entire a trilogy of fights immediately after having out their very first assembly in December 2019.
“I’ve acquired bad intentions for him, he’s not heading to want to occur back again for round three immediately after I’m performed with him Saturday evening,” the outspoken Covington said.
Watch Canelo Álvarez vs Caleb Plant Stay on Most important Occasion readily available on Kayo and Foxtel, Sunday 7th November from 12pm AEDT. Order NOW >
But, unsurprisingly, Usman did not see it that way, and “The Nigerian Nightmare” prompt he would truly be open to fighting Covington yet again even if he beat the 33-yr-outdated a 2nd time.
“I’m in the organization of fork out-for each-sights, so I really don’t know if I’ll want him that far back again (driving me),” Usman said.
“Of course I want to go out there and halt him but I want him to rapidly make his way back again so I can halt him yet again for a little little bit more cash.”
Soon after hooking up with a fully new coaching crew ahead of this fight, Covington said he has “updated the software” on his abilities and his new sport approach will permit him to “control, alt, delete” Usman.
Usman, nevertheless, dismissed Covington’s attempts to present himself as a rejuvenated fighter, contacting him “the exact same a–hole” he fought at UFC 245.
“At the close of the working day, when you get in there with a lion like me and I hit you in the mouth, you are heading to vacation resort to what you know finest and you are heading to throw whatever individuals coaches are stating out the window since you really don’t act
ually give a shit since you are actually an a–hole,” Usman said.
Ever the provocateur, Covington nominated his favorite nickname that he has produced for Usman.
“I assume ‘Marty Juiceman’, the CEO of EPO, it suits him fairly great,” Covington said.
“He’s a 35-yr-outdated center-aged male and he seems to be like he has a chemical imbalance. They dude has acquired acne breakouts all above his confront, all above his shoulders and back again.
“Why is that? Are you heading through puberty at 35? I imagined gentlemen did that at like sixteen or 17. Unusual.”