MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz has labelled boxing star Canelo Alvarez a "coward" for not wanting to fight Kamaru Usman.
Usman, who is the UFC's pound-for-pound No.1 fighter and welterweight champion, recently called out Alvarez for a crossover fight.
'The Nigerian Nightmare' wants to defend his UFC title against Leon Edwards in July and then fight Alvarez on Mexican Independence day in September.
Alvarez, who will likely face Gennady Golovkin for the third time on Usman's proposed date, said a fight with the UFC star doesn't make sense for him.
Boxing's pound-for-pound No.1 and biggest star signed a multi-fight deal with Matchroom Boxing and DAZN last month, with his first fight taking place on May 7 against Dmitry Bivol.
And Abdelaziz thinks boxers such as Alvarez are cowardly for not wanting to challenge MMA fighters in the octagon.
"You know, Kamaru didn't call out Jake Paul or Logan Paul – none of these guys. You have to respect the man, he called out this coward [Canelo Alvarez]," he told The Schmo.
"Honestly, all these boxing guys are a little bit [cowardly] because they will not come to MMA, they will not fight in the streets, they only want to fight in the boxing ring – under their rules.
"Guess what? If they're not willing to come to our sport – the UFC and MMA in general – you shouldn't call yourself a fighter. You're a sportsman. Canelo, if you want the smoke, Kamaru give him the smoke."
Usman would need to be granted a special exemption from his UFC deal to box Alvarez, something the promotion has only done for Conor McGregor's fight with Floyd Mayweather in 2017.
'The Nigerian Nightmare' has never stepped foot in the boxing ring but is unbeaten in his last 20 MMA fights.
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And Usman is confident he would prove his naysayers wrong by becoming the first person to knockout Alvarez.
"See, that’s the thing about this crazy thing that we do; sports. And not just sports; fighting," Usman told ESPN.
"No one knows the size of the dog inside you, no one knows it. When you tell people your plans they’re not going believe it because they don’t see it.
"They can’t do it, they don’t do what you do, they don’t walk in your shoes, they don’t walk in your heart and your energy each and every day, no one knows that, no one sees it.
"I’ve said it; everything, I’ve said it, I’ve manifested it. There’s a lion inside here, a Nigerian African lion that people don’t really understand.”
