Canelo Alvarez doesn’t see himself boxing UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman anytime soon – if at all.
Although he didn’t completely rule out the idea, the reigning IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO and The Ring super-middleweight champion isn’t as keen on the idea as Usman is.
Usman (20-1 MMA, 15-0 UFC) has been campaigning for a boxing match with fellow pound-for-pound No. 1 fighter Alvarez in recent months and although he hasn’t gotten the support from UFC president Dana White, the likes of Joe Rogan want to see the fight happen.
Canelo, however, said it can wait – if it happened at all.
“Never say no, but right now it’s not in my future,” Alvarez told TMZ. “Not right now. Yeah, it’s all about legacy right now, but you never know.”
Usman, who is currently healing from a hand injury, is projected to rematch Leon Edwards in July. Meanwhile, Alvarez will challenge Dmitry Bivol for his light heavyweight title on May 7 on DAZN pay-per-view.
Another fighter eager to crossover to boxing is UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, who was in attendance for Tyson Fury’s knockout win over Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium on Saturday. Fury delivered a highlight-reel knockout of White in Round 6 and before leaving the ring, he was already promoting a a hybrid bout with Ngannou.
But both Usman and Ngannou would need White’s support while still under UFC contract if they were to box, just like Conor McGregor did when he fell short against Floyd Mayweather in 2017.
