"He makes a lot of fundamental mistakes" - Leon Edwards says Kamaru Usman not ready for Canelo Alvarez's level of boxing, says callout is a "payday job"

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(L to R) Leon Edwards, Kamaru Usman and Canelo Alvarez [Images via @leonedwardsmma, @usman84kg and @canelo on Instagram]

Leon Edwards doesn't think Kamaru Usman is ready to face Canelo Alvarez in a boxing match. Edwards believes that Usman is looking for a big payday in rallying for a fight against the Mexican superstar.

Edwards understands the root of Usman's confidence, having found success with his hands inside the octagon in recent times. However, 'Rocky' thinks the UFC welterweight champ's fundamentals aren't refined enough to face Alvarez in a boxing bout. The 30-year-old recently told MMA Junkie:

"That's more like a payday job. Obviously he has fell in love with his hands. And obviously been enough success in the octagon with his boxing. And now since moving to Trevor [Wittman], so, you know? But I think technically boxing is boxing and MMA is MMA you know. And he makes a lot of fundamental mistakes and I don't think he is ready for that level of just pure boxing."

Watch Leon Edwards' interview with MMA Junkie below:

Kamaru Usman has been rallying for a crossover superfight against the undisputed Super Middleweight Champion Canelo Alvarez. Usman currently holds a near-perfect pro MMA record, only marred by a single loss dating back to his second professional fight in 2013.

'The Nigerian Nightmare' has mounted five successful title defenses since dethroning Tyron Woodley for the welterweight title in 2019. The UFC is now targeting a bout between Usman and Leon Edwards in July.

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Dana White is not interested in Kamaru Usman vs. Canelo Alvarez

The biggest crossover fight in the history of combat sports was Conor McGregor's 2017 loss to Floyd Mayweather. However, UFC president Dana White doesn't think every crossover bout is of the same magnitude.

White recently dismissed the idea of a boxing match between Kamaru Usman and Canelo Alvarez. The 52-year-old told ESPN MMA's Brett Okamoto:

"I hate the Canelo fight. I mean I don’t even have to explain it to people. Everybody knows, I mean come on. It’s silly. [Fighters] come in here, they build themselves up, they make and name, and then there’s these possible boxing matches. You can’t look at every one of these things like the Conor-Mayweather fight. It’s not gonna be like the Conor-Mayweather fight. You put on one of these types of fights, and you don’t sell the way you hope it would sell, believe me, I’m not interested in that. It’s not what I do."

Watch Dana White's interview with ESPN MMA below:

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