CANELO ALVAREZ refused to rule out a crossover fight with Kamaru Usman – but UFC champion wants $100million.
Usman has long called out the Mexican boxing superstar, who is the current undisputed super-middleweight king.
Canelo Alvarez refused to rule out a crossover fight with Kamaru Usman
Kamaru Usman wants $100m to fight Canelo Alvarez
Canelo puts money as the only motivation for the callout – but has at least left the door open for talks.
He said on the MMA Hour: “Maybe. Why not? You never say no. My trainer told me about it and I said, ‘Well, if you say.’”
Canelo, 31, added: “It’s not really on my mind. I want a really good legacy for my career and we can talk about other things later.”
UFC legend Conor McGregor, 33, in 2017 was given permission to fight boxing icon Floyd Mayweather, 45, losing in ten rounds.
Usman, welterweight UFC champ since 2019, eyes a similar bout with Canelo, after returning to the octagon in the summer.
He told told TMZ Sports: “In 2022, I’m gonna shock the world. July, International Fight Week, I’m gonna fight Leon Edwards.
“God willing I get through Leon Edwards, September, Mexican Independence Day, I will stop Canelo Alvarez.”
Usman, who has never boxed professional before, added: “Absolutely I see myself winning that fight.
“And that’s the thing that a lot of people fail to realise.
A lot of people, because they think they can’t do something, they try to put that upon you. ‘Oh, you can’t do that. It can’t be done.’
“Everything can’t be done until it’s done. So a lot of people are gonna say, ‘You can’t do it.
“No, he’s too good, he’s too skilled, too strong.’ Yeah, they said that about Tyron Woodley.
“He’s too big, he’s got knockout power, he’s fast, he’s explosive. What happened?
“I told him I was gonna dominate him for five rounds and I did that. I’m not gonna step in there if I don’t think I can get it done.”
Usman, 34, will demand a $100m (£75m) purse to fight Canelo, boxing’s highest-paid fighter.
He said: “He’s walking around saying payday, payday – absolutely. It’s the biggest payday you are ever gonna make.
“I understand that he gets paid, he makes money. But fighting me is the biggest payday he’s ever gonna make. We talking nine figures, for sure.”
Kamaru Usman wants to fight Canelo Alvarez in September
