Kamaru Usman and Canelo Alvarez clear the air after previous rivalry
Kamaru Usman and Canelo Alvarez have buried the hatchet, years on from rumors of a potential fight between them.
As we know, Kamaru Usman was once seen as the best pound for pound fighter in mixed martial arts. He was dominating the welterweight division until one day, he wasn’t. Alas, during his time as champion, he was starting to build up a real name for himself – and that led to him calling out Canelo Alvarez.
Of course, it didn’t come to fruition, but the two certainly exchanged words. During a podcast featuring both men, they decided to clear the air.
Usman and Canelo settle their beef
“Obviously, when I was champion in the UFC, I was welterweight champion of the world, and you dominated as champion in boxing, there were some talks about potentially fighting,” Usman said. “First and foremost, I’m a fan of yours. I’m a fan of your work and everything you’ve done in the sport of boxing. I think it’s important for us to clear the air and have this type of conversation.”
“You were in a spot where you were dominating everyone to the point the question was being asked, ‘Who else can challenge this guy? Is there anything that anyone has for him?’ At that moment, I threw my hat in, let me at least give him a different look. I’m not a technical boxer. I feel like you know all the pieces of the puzzle when it comes to boxing. … I felt that mine is different. I’m a mixed martial artist. I’m an MMA fighter. They might come slower, but the combinations might be different from what you’re used to. So that’s why I threw my hand in the mix and said I’d love to give him something different, a different look. And who knows, at the end of the day, we know as fighters anything can happen in a fight. That’s what it was. I hope there’s no hard feelings because I respect you as a fighter.”
“No hard feelings,” Alvarez said. “I think this is a beautiful sport, and you’re the best in your sport, and I’m the best in my sport, and I respect that. We’re never going to know because we never made the fight, but I always said that’s why you chose MMA and I chose boxing. If I go in there with you in an MMA fight, it’s going to be different. If you come to my sport, it’s going to be different. I know the mentality of, ‘I can do it. I can do this,’ but when you go in the ring it’s very different.”
Quotes via MMA Junkie
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