Kamaru Usman Says Boxing Match vs. Canelo Alvarez Would Be 'Biggest Ever in History'

MMA superstar Kamaru Usman has a high-profile fighter on his wish list, and it might not be who you'd expect.

Usman wants a bout with boxing superstar Canelo Alvarez.

"I think that's something that [would be] the biggest ever in history," Usman told ESPN's Marc Raimondi. "That's what I'm looking to do. That's something that scares me. That's something that gets me up in the morning. That's something that I might risk leaving my daughter for another 12 weeks for."

Both fighters have some major business to attend to before any such matchup can even be considered, of course. Usman, 34, will be facing Colby Covington at UFC 268 on Saturday with the welterweight title on the line, while the 31-year-old Alvarez is facing Caleb Plant that same night with all four major super middleweight belts on the line.

"We'll see who does better," Usman said. "We're both in the business of entertainment nowadays. He's gonna entertain on the same night. So will we. We'll see who does better numbers and then we're gonna sit there and we'll have a discussion with the pound-for-pound best promoter in the game Dana White and we'll try to make something happen."

While the MMA fighter vs. boxer fight has become a popular trend in recent years, two fighters in the prime of their careers have never been contested. The closest was Conor McGregor facing Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2017, though it was the final fight in Mayweather's professional career (and McGregor has gone just 1-3 in the UFC since).

More often, such bouts have been like the novelty fights staged by Jake Paul.

So a fight between Usman and Alvarez, both at the pinnacle of their respective sports, would be something to see. Usman, 19-1, has won 18 straight MMA fights. Alvarez, 56-1-2, had his lone loss against Mayweather in 2013, when Mayweather was firmly in his prime.

"He's a master of his craft," Usman said of Alvarez. "He's used to these boxers. He's used to the boxing speed and the boxing movements and things like that. We're different. Sometimes different can be good. What's wrong with giving him a different look? Of course, it's a tall tree to climb, but we saw what happened the last time I was the underdog."

He'd be the underdog again, facing Alvarez in a boxing match. There would be no shortage of interest in seeing if he could overcome those odds, however.