Kamaru Usman: I’d Take a Boxing Match with Canelo Álvarez

Have you ever thought about a boxing match? Absolutely. Have you really? I actually thought I was going to, instead of MMA, I actually wanted to box. Really? Yeah, because I was living at the Olympic Training Center and my girlfriend at the time was an Olympic boxer. Whoa. Yeah, and so I was like, man, this wrestling thing is not really working out because I've been hurt a few times and it's hurting my motivation to want to be Olympic champion wrestler. So I can tell my motivation was starting to die down and I'm like, what else can I do? Like I, but I still want to compete. And of course, you know, dating a boxer and having to kind of watch them. Now you start to be engulfed in what they're doing in the preparation and I'm deeply enriched in it now to where, and I was already a boxing fan, but now I'm actually starting to learn what's going on. And I'm like, maybe I should just come back and box for the next four years and try to make the Olympic team and go win the Olympics. But then I might wait. So I'm going to throw away this skill that I just spent 10, almost 10 years perfecting and learning. Just throw that away and then just start a new sport off the rip. You're an idiot. How old were you at the time? I might've been what, 20, 23, 24. So now you've been striking for many, many years now. And so when you see something happen, like with Connor and Floyd Mayweather, if something like that comes your way, would I take it? Absolutely. Absolutely. No, that the issue, the thing with that is a lot of people are going to say, you can't box like you can't box like these guys. No, listen, at the end of the day, no, I'm not conditioned to be able to box like them to be able to go 12, three minute round, even though yes, MMA rounds, the five minute rounds might be more intense in those three minute rounds, but it's different conditioning. To be able to slip punches, move and throw punches and block punches and be efficient and comfortable. Be efficient and comfortable. Man, it's hard work to where we go, MMA fighters, we go into boxing, you do four rounds and you feel like you want to die. To where a boxer can come into MMA and might not even be able to get through a round. It's just different mechanics. Just being able to work the mind and relax the mind to get the work done, it's different. Yeah, it's stunning. In my opinion, I would definitely give it a try because that's part of being a champion is taking on new challenges and going out there and giving it your best shot. Well, a fight like that would be Canelo, right? Because Canelo just won the 175 pound title. Are you trying to throw me to the wolves? I mean, that would be the big fight. I mean, I'm not trying to throw you to the wolves, but if they came with you with that big Floyd Mayweather money to fight Canelo. Like if they started doing shit like that. I would give it my all. I think I would take that. Absolutely. Would you really? Yeah, I think I would take that. Would you like one fight first though? Would you like a boxing match first before you? Because I think like Connor, when Connor fought Floyd, Floyd's a genius. Yeah, but I would, of course I would spar with, I get some big time boxers in there to spar with me and it really helped me prepare. How much time would you need? Because what I'm saying is like Floyd was a genius. He gave Connor a very short window of time to get ready. Floyd was like, yeah, I'll give you like six weeks. Floyd's a master. He's a master. Yeah. That's his game. That's his world. He knows what he's doing. If you were going to fight a real like legit boxer, Canelo, Danny Jacobs, someone like that. Yeah. Danny Jacobs, six months, six months. Yeah. Six months, six months to be confident in my preparation to just go out there and do it. I mean, yeah, of course I could do it in less time, but six months for me to do it right to feel confident going in there to box a boxer. I'm not, I'm not saying that I would definitely win. No, it's me. I'm gonna give it my all. Like I'm gonna come, you're not finna just walk over me. You're gonna fill me. No, I'm not trying to set you up with a big fight, but what I'm saying is with Zufa boxing right now, because the UFC is getting involved in boxing. And they do have some plans on promoting some big boxing matches and perhaps having some crossover fights. Like Terrence Crawford is talking about fighting. He's like, I'll fight you one boxing match with Connor. He's like, I'll fight you one boxing match and we'll fight you one MMA match. I think he can do it. I think Terrence could do anything. I mean, you see his kids, his kids are wrestlers. Yes. Yes. He can wrestle. You know, from Omaha, you from, you know, that Midwest, you've touched a mat a couple of times. You've wrestled a bit. And his hands, dude, that guy, and that guy switches up as good as anybody on the planet. That's the thing I was gonna say is, you know, that's the guy that I like to watch a lot to boxing. He's an artist. He's an artist. You know, learn some things from him. Yeah. He's the way he's, he's very good. He's an Orthodox fighter. But when he switches Southpaw, he's deadly. He's just as good. Just, if not better. Yeah. Yeah. He can do anything. And he's like a computer. He starts seeing where there's openings, finds your weaknesses, and then starts putting it on you and putting it on you. Yeah. Terrence is special. He's got a dog in him too. Yes. Oh yeah. He loves it. He loves it. That's the thing that a lot of people might not take away. But when he turns on that dog, you're in trouble. Yeah. No, he's special. I think he could do it. I just don't know if he's famous enough to entice, you know, like... Not making Floyd and Connor money. Right. Right. I mean, who knows? I mean, maybe Connor wants to have a bunch of it. Look, Connor's got probably $100 million in the bank, right? He probably, he's doing, if he's doing it right now, he's barely doing it for the money anyway. He's doing it for the challenge and for the rise. Yeah. It might be something that he would be interested in. But he just said he wants a billy. Like, he... He might get there. I think he, well enough, could get there. I mean, they posted his earnings the other day on one of the pay-per-views that we just did and they were saying that he's already made more than $200 million in his career. Yeah. That's a fifth of a way. Yeah. Yeah. No, I think, I definitely think he can do it. A bill. A bill. I mean, I'm shooting for $250. $250 million. Yes. $250 million. And then you retire? I think $250 million. Not retire, I'm gonna do other jobs as well. But $250 million, I think, because at that point, it's generational wealth. Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's something that, you know, my kids, kids and my family is going to be able to live off of. That's dynasty money. Yeah, that's all I care about.