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Kamaru Usman scrunched his deal with in a playful method and tilted his head. He had just defended his Ultimate Battling Championship welterweight title in a 5-spherical brawl with Colby Covington at Madison Square Yard at U.F.C. 268.
The belt for the 170-pound class rested following to him on a table, the leather-based-encased gold plate shining as brightly as Usman’s metallic match lapels and his diamond necklace. Earlier in the 7 days, Usman solicited to fight Saúl Álvarez, the ideal pound-for-pound boxer who — also on Saturday evening — shipped a masterful 11th-spherical knockout of Caleb Plant in Las Vegas. Usman’s manager, U.F.C. President Dana White, downplayed the feasibility of a crossover megafight to reporters minutes ahead of Usman’s news conference. Usman disagreed.
“Dana does not know that,” Usman said. “I want a thing that scares me.”
The prospect of matching Usman with the ideal boxer on the world may well not deter Usman, but White and U.F.C. officials are right to be hesitant about the hypothetical bonanza. In this period of blurred strains inside of fight sporting activities, organizers have forfeited competitive logic to appease a new crop of spending supporters. With Usman and Álvarez, the reward may well not crank out the results of similar latest experiments.
Álvarez commands an audience, and he created an unquestioned consequence, knocking out Plant specifically to unify the 168-pound belts. Most of the viewers at the MGM Grand Backyard garden Arena supported Álvarez, a Mexican who goes by the nickname Canelo, and Showtime developed the event only around him. Persons from throughout the place acquired the shell out-for each-perspective broadcast, also, which includes White. A photograph circulated on Twitter of him seeing it on a keep track of octagon-side as Rose Namajunas and Zhang Weili fought for the 115-pound title in the U.F.C.’s co-major occasion. White later mentioned he experienced bet $100,000 on Álvarez to earn by knockout.
“I viewed the Canelo struggle tonight,” White reported when asked if Usman should really box Álvarez. “He really don’t want to fight Canelo. Appear on, male, let’s halt this.”
This is not the 1st time White has dealt with crossover fights. He permitted the brash Irish U.F.C. fighter Conor McGregor to box Floyd Mayweather in 2017, a spectacle that profited McGregor at the very least $30 million. That sum is unusual for mixed martial arts competitions, and though Usman most likely would acquire significantly considerably less for a bout with Álvarez, the sum would still be a pay out raise from what he gets struggling with opponents in mixed martial arts.
Two brothers with preferred YouTube channels, Jake Paul and Logan Paul, have led a change in combat sporting activities in the past yr. Logan Paul fought Mayweather this summer in an exhibition whilst Jake Paul has crushed rather risk-free opponents: a retired basketball player and two M.M.A. fighters past their primes. The details appeared outrageous to pure boxing admirers, but the brothers’ substantial social media following allowed the fights to be a accomplishment.
Usman does not have stardom like the Pauls or McGregor, and he has claimed he does not want to pursue it. But a lot more eyes on his fights would direct to much more bucks. When questioned if he would box Álvarez for charity, he laughed.
“Of course we want the dollars,” Usman explained.
The obstacle of experiencing Álvarez also intrigues Usman for the reason that he has overwhelmed most of the major contenders in his division.
“Don’t get me completely wrong, he is a learn at what he does,” Usman reported. “I love it and I respect it, which is why I want to challenge myself.”
Usman is remarkably highly regarded in mixed martial arts circles. Just after he conquer Covington, White and other people spoke about how he may conclude up comparing to the greatest welterweights of all time, like Georges St-Pierre.
Still, it is obvious that he does not have the very same fan next as Álvarez. Usman’s support at Madison Sq. Backyard was combined, and the group at instances chanted for Covington, a fervent supporter of the previous president, Donald J. Trump, who has created conservative politics a central component of his persona.
The cheers for Covington grew in the later on levels of the bout, as he arrived again from two knockdowns in Spherical 2 and challenged Usman down the stretch.
Experienced Usman not gotten the knockdowns, the judges effortlessly could have scored the conclusion in different ways, leaving space for debate and an effortless avenue for a third struggle involving Usman and Covington.
And over and above Usman-Covington, other fighters also commanded interest on the U.F.C. 268 card. The lightweights Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler available the best clash of the night time, a superior-paced showdown that Gaethje gained, nevertheless each guys still left bloody and desired hospital exams. Namajunas also defended her strawweight championship towards Zhang in a split determination.
If Usman have been to box Álvarez, the differences concerning mixed martial arts and boxing, such as the sports activities by themselves and the pay hole between the U.F.C. and the prime tier of boxing, would complicate marketing the occasion.
Álvarez has stated he is not interested in fighting Usman, and enthusiast need has not achieved the issue still to say if not. If it comes about, while, Usman mentioned he would be prepared to contend in Álvarez’s chosen willpower. Usman would combat him in combined martial arts, also, he reported, even though he doubts Álvarez would endeavor that.
“We’re the ones that are inclined to go above there and get that possibility,” Usman said. “They wouldn’t dare come in excess of listed here and take that hazard.”
