Kamaru Usman admits the best version of Leon Edwards throws punches "sharper and smoother and slicker" than his
Ahead of their title clash at UFC 278 this Saturday, UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has revealed that Leon Edwards' punches are better than his when the Brit is in prime form.
In an interview with BT Sport, Usman also hinted that while his upcoming opponent may have a better punching game, he has the advantage in power:
"Best Leon Edwards looks really, really good. I've said it before. This is the most dangerous fighter in the division right now. Leon is a well-rounded fighter. If he throws his 1-2, they come sharper and smoother and slicker than mine. Maybe a little bit faster, but when I throw my 1-2s, guys go to sleep."
Usman improved his striking game after training with coach Trevor Wittman. His striking accuracy is over 50 percent, while he has also upped his significant strikes per minute. The improvement led to him dominating his last two fights, including a brutal KO against Jorge Masvidal.
While Usman has no doubt improved his stand-up game, Edwards remains the superior technical striker between the two.
Watch Kamaru Usman talk to BT Sport ahead of UFC 278 below:
Leon Edwards offers insight into Kamaru Usman's approach ahead of highly anticipated rematch at UFC 278
In their first fight, the Brit was outwrestled by Usman. Since then, both men have evolved into well-rounded fighters with improved skill sets. In a video posted to Daniel Cormier’s YouTube channel, Edwards predicted the strategy Kamaru Usman could apply in their fight:
“I think he’ll be more willing to stand and trade with me. I think he’d be more willing to do it, but there’s levels to the striking. Now, what he does, he does it very well. He fights behind his jab. He’s very balanced. He just plods forward, landing straight shots. And I think once I start getting my striking off and being loose in there, he’s gonna go back to the first fight, which is trying to shoot for that single leg [takedown] and pin me against the cage and hold me against the cage.”
Edwards also admitted that he has been training extensively in camps, and returns hungrier after a lengthy absence and canceled fights. He last entered the octagon when he beat Nate Diaz at UFC 263 back in June 2021.
Watch Edwards talk about his clash with Usman at UFC 278 in the video below: