"I've seen him knock out a few guys with his straight right" - Errol Spence Jr. says he would be on Kamaru Usman's side for a potential Canelo Alvarez fightÂ
Errol Spence Jr. recently shared his opinion on a potential boxing bout between Kamaru Usman and Canelo Alvarez. Despite Alvarez being a clear favorite if they were to fight, Spence believes Usman could be a tough test for the Mexican.
In a recent interview with 'The Schmo', the IBF and WBC welterweight champion praised Usman's boxing skills, stating that 'The Nigerian Nightmare' has knockout power in his right hand:
"Usman is tough, he's very physical. He's been training with my coach before, so he's got a little bit of a stand-up game. I've seen him knock out a few guys with his straight right."
Watch Errol Spence Jr. speak on Usman's boxing skills:
When asked if Usman had a better chance against Alvarez compared to Conor McGregor's outing against Floyd Mayweather Jr., 'The Truth' said:
"I don't know, I know Usman more than I know Canelo. So, I would be on Usman's side for that fight."
It seems the training sessions with Trevor Wittman have borne fruit as Usman not only knocks out sparring partners, but he has also defeated Jorge Masvidal with a one-punch knockout.
Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards, a classic case of wrestler vs. striker
Before 'The Nigerian Nightmare' is able to pursue a boxing showdown with Alvarez, he has business to deal with in the octagon.
In an interview with BT Sport before UFC London, UFC president Dana White confirmed that Usman will defend his welterweight championship against a familiar foe, Leon Edwards.
Watch Dana White talk about Usman vs. Edwards below:
The two previously fought in December 2015 when both were up-and-coming fighters. Their showdown took place during the early prelims of UFC on FOX 17.
Kamaru Usman dominated the entirety of the bout with his wrestling. 'The Nigerian Nightmare' won that match via a unanimous decision to move to 7-1 in his MMA career.
In their potential rematch, the reigning UFC welterweight champion could easily choose to repeat the same tactics. However, his striking has improved considerably since his first fight with the Englishman. Taking that into account, we could see a more strike-focused Usman in the fight.
Kamaru Usman's last bout was a successful title defense against Colby Covington in November last year, while Edwards has not entered the octagon since beating Nate Diaz in June 2021.