By Lewis Mckeever  | SBNATION

UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman believes he has what it takes to stop Canelo Alvarez in the boxing ring. ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ is untested in boxing but believes he can pull off the impossible against one of the sport’s biggest stars in Alvarez, revealing to TMZ Sports his plans of fighting the pound-for-pound No. 1 on Mexican Independence Day (Sept. 16).

Usman would however have to first dispose of No. 3-ranked welterweight Leon Edwards on International Fight Week.

“In 2022 I’m gonna shock the world. July, International Fight Week, I’m gonna fight Leon Edwards. God willing I get through Leon Edwards, September, Mexican Independence Day, I will stop Canelo Alvarez,” Usman, who has been calling out Alvarez for the better part of two years, said. “Absolutely I see myself winning the fight. Everything can’t be done until it’s done.”

Latest Posts

• African Diaspora Festival celebrates identity and culture at Underground Railroad Museum
• Mana Abdi | Somali American legislative candidate is poised to make history in the Maine Legislature
• African Street Festival returns to Hadley Park September 16-18
• U.S. Expects to Use All Employment-Based Green Cards This Year
• St. Louis police shoot and kill Sudanese man after standoff

Alvarez had previously brushed off Usman’s comments about wanting a ‘pound-for-pound’ crossover fight but, judging from this interview, the Mexican champ might actually be warming up the idea.

He told MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani: “Maybe. Why not? You never say no, right? My trainer told me about it. And I said, ‘If you say (so).’”

Alvarez (57-1-2) will return to the ring on May 7 to challenge Dmitry Bivol for the WBA Super light heavyweight title while UFC pound-for-pound No. 1 Usman (20-1 MMA, 15-0 UFC) will likely defend his title against Edwards at UFC 276 on July 2.