Getty Joe Rogan looks on during the UFC 273 event at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on April 09, 2022 in Jacksonville, Florida.
Popular podcaster and UFC color commentator Joe Rogan is all-in on a possible boxing bout between Canelo Alvarez and reigning UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.
The 170-pound MMA king has made it clear he wants to fight Canelo, saying in several interviews that he wants to take on boxing’s best inside the ring. Usman is rated as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter on the UFC roster, according to the promotion’s official rankings. And ESPN has Canelo as the No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world.
And one staunch supporter of this contest is Rogan. Speaking recently on the “Hotboxin’ With Mike Tyson” podcast, Rogan said he wanted to see Canelo vs. “The Nigerian Nightmare” primarily because it would be a massive payday for the latter.
“I would like to see him fight Canelo, I really would,” Rogan said via MMA Fighting. “Not because I think that he’s a favorite in a boxing match against one of the greatest boxers of all-time, but I want to see him get a giant payday. The same way I would like to see [Francis] Ngannou fight Tyson Fury. That’s a way you can make a s***-load of money, and I don’t think it damages his potential as a UFC fighter. I think it would be invaluable experience for him, as a champion, if he did have that fight and then came back over to MMA. I think he’d probably be even better as a striker if he gets through it relatively undamaged, even if he loses.”
Rogan Said Although Usman Will Feel ‘Pain’ Against Canelo, The Nigerian Nightmare Is a Proven Winner
Usman boasts a professional MMA record of 20-1, which includes nine wins by KO/TKO. He’s beaten some of welterweight’s best inside the Octagon, including Colby Covington, Jorge Masvidal and Gilbert Burns.
If there’s one thing Usman knows, it’s “how to win,” Rogan told “Iron Mike.” So, even though Usman will likely take punishment from Canelo, his championship mettle should not be discounted.
“He’s gonna feel some pain,” Rogan said. “It’s not the same sport, but he’s a dude that knows how to win. You have to understand this guy’s mindset, his knees are destroyed… His knees are f***** but he doesn’t care. He just doesn’t run, but he never runs out of cardio. Everything he does is just drive. All the plyometrics and all the strength and conditioning stuff he does in the gym, he’s doing it with f***** up knees. All the wrestling drills, he’s doing it with f***** up knees.”
UFC President Dana White Is Against the Canelo vs. Usman
One major player in this whole situation is against the match-up, and that’s UFC president Dana White. Usman is contracted by the promotion, which means he needs support from White to box Canelo. However, White recently told Sky Sports that he views the potential boxing contest as “stupid” and “horrible.”
“He (Usman) is serious about it, he shouldn’t be serious about it,” White said. “I don’t like that fight at all. Everything about it is horrible. It’s a stupid fight to make, it makes no sense. I don’t know how many people would be interested in seeing that.”