Once famously calling out Canelo Alvarez, Kamaru Usman criticizes Sean O’Malley’s boxing super fight with Ryan Garcia

Ryan Garcia and Sean O'Malley's crossover fight is debated as Kamaru Usman critiques a potential matchup.

Once famously calling out Canelo Alvarez, Kamaru Usman criticizes Sean O’Malley’s boxing super fight with Ryan Garcia

Kamaru Usman is against Sean O'Malley boxing Ryan Garcia (Image via: IMAGO)

Boxing sensation Ryan Garcia and UFC champion Sean O’Malley calling each other out has become the talk of the combat sports community. Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather brought the idea of a crossover boxing fight. Many, including Kamaru Usman, tried to follow in the footsteps of the Irishman against Canelo Alvarez. However, Usman has a different take on the potential Garcia vs. O’Malley matchup.

Even before Garcia fought and defeated Devin Haney in a massive upset, the boxer and O’Malley had flirted with the idea of crossing over. With the victory over Haney, O’Malley was among the names that Garcia had in mind for a potential fight. O’Malley also pondered the idea of going to boxing after Garcia’s callout. However, Kamaru Usman did not like O’Malley looking for the possibility of fighting Garcia soon.

Why are we even entertaining this right now? [Sean] you have one of the deepest divisions of contenders waiting for you. Why are we entertaining you going here and there…How about we beat up a couple of guys in my division first, and cement myself as a great in my division… before I'm even entertaining these gimmick fights.
Kamaru Usman via Pound 4 Pound podcast
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Usman did have a point as the UFC’s bantamweight division. Along with lightweight, the 135-pound division has a deep, strong roster. Moreover, when Usman angled for a boxing match with Canelo Alvarez, he was already in discussions of the GOAT of the welterweight division.

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When Conor McGregor fought Floyd Mayweather, he was a two-division champion but did not have a single title defense. However, he went through a murderer’s row en route to his featherweight title triumph. O’Malley has a similar mold to McGregor and, therefore, has a good chance of getting the fight.

High-profile MMA champions vs. Boxing champions crossover boxing fights in history

The first MMA vs. Boxing crossover fight happened when James Toney, a multiple-time boxing champion, stepped into the octagon to face Randy Couture, a former three-time UFC heavyweight champion. Couture made easy work of Toney at UFC 118 in the co-main event.

Floyd Mayweather, Conor McGregor, Tyson Fury, and Francis Ngannou have been part of high profile crossover bouts
Floyd Mayweather, Conor McGregor, Tyson Fury, and Francis Ngannou have been part of high-profile crossover bouts (Image via: IMAGO)

The next crossover matchup was not inside the octagon but in the boxing ring. Two-division champ Conor McGregor stepped into the ring to face Floyd Mayweather, who was coming out of retirement. Mayweather toyed with McGregor and eventually scored a 10th-round TKO. The PPV event was a huge success and broke several combat sports records.

The final two high-profile crossover matchups did not have a fighter signed with the UFC. Francis Ngannou boxed Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in just four and a half months. Even though Ngannou was a former UFC champion, he had signed with the PFL before he boxed Fury and Joshua. Ngannou lost both fights via split decision to Fury and knockout to Joshua.

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